WILL‘BLADERUNNER’ COMPETE AT THE OLYMPICS?

Image © Ossur 2007

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius could make history by becoming the first athlete using prosthetic limbs to compete against non-disabled athletes at the Olympic Games. In May Pistorius – a double below knee amputee – successfully appealed against the decision by athletics' governing body the IAAF that his carbon fibre Cheetah prosthetics would give him an unfair advantage against non-disabled athletes. Now the 21 year old must successfully complete the 400 metres in under 45.55 seconds – more than a second faster than his Paralympic world record time of 46.56 seconds – in order to qualify for Beijing. A race meeting in Milan on 2 July will be his last opportunity to do so.

In May Pistorius said: “A lot of the time this year we've devoted to the court case. I am going to have to start getting my body in shape in order to run those qualifying times. I am hopeful there will be enough time but it is going to be very difficult.”

20/05/08.

CAMERON SETS OUT WELFARE VISION

David Cameron has set out his vision for a reformed welfare state which aims to reduce the number of people on long-term benefits. The Conservative leader wants to end the culture of welfare dependency and what he calls Britain's "sick note culture".

There are 2.6 million people claiming Incapacity Benefit in the UK, half a million of whom are under 35. The Conservatives' Work for Welfare Green Paper suggests that the long-term unemployed should take part in a year-long programme involving "valuable improvement and amenity work in the areas where they live", with those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for more than two years risking losing their benefit if they fail to take part. Under the plans, jobseekers and the long-term unemployed would be expected to attend 'back to work' centres offering training and support. Incapacity Benefit claimants would be re-assessed by a doctor and, if declared fit for work, would be placed on Jobseeker's Allowance, losing £20 benefit a week.

Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain said that the plans would not be effective: "If you divert people into mandatory community activities they don't get a job at the end of it. The Tories' policies are deeply reactionary, unfair, unfunded and undeliverable." Poverty campaigners have criticised the move, while national charity Leonard Cheshire Disability has warned that the plans fail to focus on the support that disabled people need in order to get back into work. The charity's policy manager Guy Parckar explained: "Welfare reform must not become a political football. Tackling disability poverty does mean supporting more disabled people into long-term work, but this has to be focused on providing better support, training and tackling discrimination. If policies are based on an assumption that disabled people choose a life on benefits then they will be missing the point and will simply not work."

09/01/08.

MORE FUNDING FOR HOME ADAPTATIONS

Photo courtesy Grooms-Shaftesbury

Communities Minister Baroness Andrews has announced plans to increase government funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant. Speaking at the Foundations Home Improvement Agency Annual Conference at the start of December, she stated that DFG funding will increase by 20% for 2008/9, taking government funding for the grant up to £146 million. Around 35,000 disabled and elderly people receive support through the DFG each year.

The Baroness explained: “This package of funding and initiatives will help people make the right choices for them and not feel pressured into moving into sheltered housing or residential care. Living longer should mean living well, not more years spent in unsuitable accommodation.” The announcement was made as part of a set of measures designed to help people live independently in their own homes for longer, which will also see increased support for local Home Improvement Agencies.

30/12/07

REMPLOY FACTORY CLOSURES CONFIRMED

After months of wrangling, Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain has announced that 28 of Remploy’s 83 factories will close. This is a reduction from the original plan of 43 factories, and means that 17 factories will fully close while 11 will be merged with other Remploy sites.

The decision comes after the government announced a £555 million package of support in September, which – it was hoped – would secure the factories’ future. The new Remploy modernisation plan means that 55 factories will now remain open – 15 more than originally planned. “The proposals will mean many more disabled people supported in mainstream employment, fewer factory closures than previously planned and steady improvements in value for money,” explained Peter Hain. “I can guarantee that in those factories which are proposed for closure there will be no compulsory redundancies for disabled workers.” The closures are part of a wider modernisation plan for Remploy, which was set up in 1945 to provide employment opportunities for disabled people. 

As part of its modernisation scheme, Remploy aims to quadruple the number of people it helps into mainstream employment through its employment services business. At the same time, it wants to close its sheltered factories, which are subsidised through taxes to the tune of £20,000 per employee per year and are viewed by some as being outdated – a view echoed by Liz Sayce, chief executive of RADAR: “It is right that more disabled people have greater opportunities to access – and succeed and progress – in mainstream employment. These reforms are a step in the right direction.” The government’s decision was a disappointment to trade unions however, who have been fighting against any closures. GMB’s general secretary, Paul Kenny, told the press: “This government-controlled operation has failed its people, its principles and its purpose. These closures are completely unnecessary. If Remploy was called Northern Rock, I am certain that we would not be seeing a single redundancy.”