§ Harry CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proposals she has to improve opportunities for disabled school governors to fulfil their role; and if she will make a statement. [67679]
§ Mr. MilibandSteps the Department has already taken to assist disabled governors include offering the Guide to the Law for School Governors in Braille and making the governors' induction training package available through distance learning.
School Governing Bodies can, under the Education (Governors' Allowances) Regulations 1999, create schemes to meet expenses from the school budget. These
379Wschemes may include the cost of transport for disabled governors to and from meetings. In revised guidance to be issued following the Education Bill, we shall encourage all governing bodies to make schemes and to ensure that disabled governors can claim all expenses they incur.
The Disability Discrimination (Amendment) Bill's provision for reasonable adjustments to premises to allow access for disabled people, should help for physically disabled governors.