PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
ACCESS TO WORK (12 March 1996)

That this House notes that the Government is currently reviewing the Access to Work scheme; recognises the importance of ATW in supporting disabled people both into and in employment; further recognises that ATW particularly helps severely disabled people who need expensive equipment or ongoing personal support to be treated more equally in the workplace; acknowledges that employers already contribute to the costs of employing a disabled person by covering costs that cannot be funded under the scheme; is concerned that a failure to adequately fund ATW at this time, with the Disability Discrimination Act provisions on employment coming into force at the end of the year, would give the wrong message to employers and could undermine the legislation; believes that ATW plays a crucial role in persuading employers to employ disabled people and therefore is an essential element in changing employers' attitudes over the next few years; and urges the Government to set an adequate budget for ATW in 1996-97 which will encourage good employment practices and meet disabled people's needs.

Sponsored by:
Sir John Hannam (Conservative)