Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee Transport Written answers and statements, 2 November 2010

Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what savings to the public purse he expects to result from the ending of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.

 

Norman Baker (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Regional and Local Transport), Transport; Lewes, Liberal Democrat)

The motivation behind the decision to end the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee is not a financial one. In respect of the financial consequences, I cannot determine possible savings until successor arrangements have been finalised. We have committed to consult on successor arrangements.

Disability: Children Work and Pensions Written answers and statements, 6 September 2010

Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the adequacy of assistance offered to single parents of disabled children who are returning to work.

Maria Miller (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Disabled People), Work and Pensions; Basingstoke, Conservative)

Those with disabled children have particular requirements around childcare, personal support, and access to flexible working. We are taking account of these in drawing up our plans for the Work Programme, which will offer all benefit recipients targeted, personalised help, delivered by contractors drawn from the private, public and voluntary sectors, as well as social enterprises.

For lone parents who are looking for work and have caring responsibilities for a disabled child, further support is offered under the provisions of the Childcare Act 2006. Among other things, this gives local authorities in England and Wales a statutory responsibility to ensure the local child care market meets the needs of working parents, including those with disabled children, and ensures that parents of disabled children have access to reliable information on child care options.

In recognition of the difficulties lone parents caring for disabled children may encounter in returning to work, regulations provide that lone parents on income support with a child aged 15 or under who have a child receiving the middle or higher care component of disability living allowance are not required to seek work in return for benefit. However, for those lone parents who wish to return to work, pre-employment and in-work support are available through specialist lone parent advisers in Jobcentre Plus.

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