The Committee is today launching a new inquiry into assistive
technology, following up on its inquiry into the Disability employment
gap (DEG). This will lead to the second in what
will be a series of reports aimed at getting the Government
offering disabled people real opportunities to get into work.
“Assistive technology” includes a range of products, equipment,
and systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for
people with disabilities. This inquiry is about the role all
types of assistive tech can play in removing barriers to work and
helping disabled people stay in work. It could be accessible
hardware and software, developments in apps, wearable technology
- technology that helps people get to work, or use the building
once they do, as well as things that facilitate work itself.
The Government response to
our DEG report, also published today, reiterates a
number of measures announced previously on supporting unemployed
disabled people into work. It also announces some measures on
in-work support, including:
- Providing more structured support and information for
employers to encourage them to take on and retain disabled
employees;
- Improvements to Access to Work, including a new expectation
that awards will be portable, with claimants able to take
equipment from job to job;
- A commitment to a “comprehensive cross-Government programme
of analysis and research on incentives and expectations” for
employers, reporting back on preliminary work in 2018.
MP, Chair of the Committee,
said: “Progress on reducing the
disability employment gap in the last decade has been glacial,
when we know there are lots of disabled people ready and willing
to get into work. We need a radical new system to
incentivise employers to take on, retain and progress disabled
workers, and assistive technology has an important role in
that. We want to hear about employers, workers and would-be
workers’ experience with assistive tech, the problems, and
innovative solutions.”
This call for evidence can be provided in some accessible
formats, please contact
the Committee for more details. The deadline for
submissions is 19 January 2018. The Committee welcomes
submissions addressing any or all of the following questions:
- What role can assistive technology play in removing barriers
to work and helping disabled people stay in work?
- How should the Government support the development of this
technology, and are there any particular innovations it should
look to support?
- Is Access to Work the most effective means of providing
access to assistive technology? Should other funding models be
considered?
See the full details and submit evidence here:
Assistive
technology
Committee Membership is as follows:
- Chair (Labour), (Conservative), (Conservative), (Conservative), (Conservative), (Labour), (Labour), (Labour), (Conservative), (Labour), (Scottish National Party)
