MPs on the Work & Pensions Committee in the House of Commons are discussing today new technology from the likes of Microsoft, Apple and Google which will (according to the HoC press release below) “help people with disabilities get into, progress in – and literally get to work.”

Perhaps someone should point out to MPs that if they are really interested in helping disabled people get to work, then perhaps they should discuss returning some of the ‘old’ technology that has been taken away from them in the last few years.

Such as cars:

More than 50,000 disabled people have had specially adapted vehicles taken away since changes to disability benefits in 2013.

Motability car loss ‘left me suicidal’ says disabled man

Obviously, all this ‘new technology’ is going to mean handing billions of our money over to high-tech’ companies.

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PRESS RELEASE

Work & Pensions Committee

Immediate: Tuesday 30 January 2018 

Committee investigates assisstive technology

On Wednesday morning Work and Pensions enters the brave new world of assistive technology: technology that  – should – help people with disabilities get into, progress in – and literally get to work.

Giving evidence we’ve got three people who use  – and invent, and campaign on – various types of this technology, which range from sensory aids to AI tools that facilitate access to and use of buildings, or other technology, followed by the experts who make this work in workplaces, and Microsoft, one of the key developers of useable assistive tech.   

This is one-off evidence session on the use of Assistive technology (AT) follows on from the predecessor Committee’s inquiry into the Disability Employment Gap. It will focus on how AT can assist disabled people in employment, the reasons why disabled people struggle to use it prior to employment, and the implications of that on disabled people’s employability. It will also look at the role of mainstreamed assistive technology, and how DWP can encourage its use. Questioning will cover:

– Disabled people’s experiences of AT and its limitations

 – Why  improvements in AT haven’t helped to reduce the Disability Employment Gap

 – Whether the Department should encourage or facilitate the use of mainstreamed technologies

– How the Department can improve access to AT for disabled people prior to working   

At 09.30 in Committee Room 6

Jo-Ann MoranBEM-Assistive Technology user.

Stephen Duckworth-Assistive Technology user.

Simon Wheatcroft-Assistive Technology user.

Tracey Johnson- Formerly access to work assessor   

At approximately 10.30am

Hector Minto – Microsoft

Robin  Christopherson MBE – Ability net /ENDS

Notes:

Google and Apple were also invited to give oral evidence

Committee Membership is as follows: 

Frank Field – Chair (Labour), Heidi Allen (Conservative), Andrew Bowie (Conservative), Jack Brereton (Conservative), Alex Burghart (Conservative), Neil Coyle (Labour), Emma Dent Coad (Labour), Ruth George (Labour), Chris Green (Conservative), Steve McCabe (Labour), Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party)