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Dept for Education and Employment;Employment Service

Answer

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the money spent during the past five years for financial assistance to purchase wheelchairs through Access to Work has been spent on (a) indoor/outdoor powered wheelchairs and (b) manual wheelchairs. [44679] Mr. Alan Howarth: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from Peter Collis to Mrs. Theresa May, dated 15 June 1998: The Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked Leigh Lewis to reply to your question about the financial assistance given towards the purchase of wheelchairs through the Access to Work programme during the past five years. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as the Chief Executive of the Employment Service. I am replying in his absence. I am afraid that we do not hold information centrally on the number of grants made under Access to Work for wheelchairs or their cost. I attach a table detailing expenditure under Access to Work over the last five years broken down by the main categories of expenditure. Expenditure on wheelchairs falls within the Special Aids and Equipment category. I am sorry I cannot be more helpful. Expenditure on Access to Work elements for the last five years £ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Element 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Assistance with fares to 2,289,615 2,616,028 3,332,228 3,679,465 4,391,037 work Adaptations to vehicles -- 113,935 401,175 208,643 96,149 Personal reader service 1,183,346 1,259,351 1,480,239 970,361 951,140 Support worker -- 214,503 1,032,017 1,397,820 1,885,934 Special aids and equipment 7,243,143 10,698,285 12,504,284 5,513,235 6,206,601 Adaptations to premises and 487,586 654,612 1,031,340 621,202 822,335 equipment Communicator support at -- 48,702 59,890 38,876 45,759 interview Miscellaneous support -- 116,486 146,453 136,089 187,860 Total 11,203,690 15,721,902 19,987,626 12,565,691 14,586,815 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

314 c80W; 44679

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Disability Expenditure Mobility scooters Staff Wheelchairs Access to work programme