UKIP candidates' response
Paul Valdmanis (Wolverhampton North East)
Gordon Fanthom (Wolverhampton South East)
Amanda Mobberley (Wolverhampton South West)

 

1 Most Political parties seem to have a plan to get disabled people off employment related disability benefits like incapacity benefit, without tackling the problem that employers are reluctant to employ disabled people – How will you address this? If disabled people are compelled to seek work, what will be done to compel employers to employ some disabled people?
UKIP will abolish employers’ NI across a parliament to ensure more jobs are created in the economy.  Laws are already in place to combat discrimination and UKIP supports these.  Employers should do all they can to ensure they employ the best people for the job. 

2 Do you think Care should be paid for by all of us – like the health services, prisons, the armed forces etc -  or just by the people that need it – what are your plans for care?
 UKIP abides by the NHS principles that health care should be free at the point of delivery.  We offer a £20,000 voucher for long term care for the elderly.

3 The Disability Discrimination Act has been with us for decades yet buildings are still built in Wolverhampton and elsewhere that treat disabled people as second class citizens who need to use the back entrance or secondary facilities. Also people with Assistance Dogs are often asked not to come into a venue with their dog. What do you believe must be done to ensure that disabled access is central to all building projects and service provision?
Local authorities should see that the law is implemented.  

4 Disabled people tend to have poorer health, less access to exercise facilities and less access to dietary and fitness information that takes account of their impairments. Many disabled people have argued for the restoration of free swimming or gym passes,  what do you think can be done to address disabled people’s unequal access to health and fitness information and facilities?
 If local authorities didn’t spend so much money on quangos, their propaganda and allowances, then more money would be free to spend on front line services.  Furthermore, we spend £45 million a day on EU membership which could be better spent here at home.

5 Disabled people are increasingly the victims of hate crime and bullying, but responses from authorities (police, social services, housing providers, schools etc) to incidences of bullying or harassment are patchy and can range from telling a person to stay in their home, to addressing the problem, to doing nothing. What can be done to ensure a more even and supportive approach to this?
 UKIP supports locally elected police and education boards to make services democratically accountable.  The police board will decide on policing priorities and education will franchise out services to education providers.  If these services are disenfranchising those they serve, then those on the board can be democratically removed.

6 How well do you think bringing most disabled children into mainstream education has worked, and what more needs to be done?
This is a decision for elected education boards to decide. 

7 Do you think that people who by reason of disability are unable to end their lives, should have the right to chose to have someone to help them with this?
 This is a conscience issue that should be put to a referendum.

8 BSL was recognised as an official language on 18th March 2003, but it still does not have any legal protection, so Deaf Sign Language users do not have full access to vital information and services, including education, health and employment.  Does your party advocate this view and why? 
Public services should be available to all who pay for them.  Every taxpayer should have access to information about public services. 

9 What can your party do to help more disabled people to become MPs?
 UKIP operates on merit.  Anyone who believes in UKIP’s principles and ideals can apply to be a UKIP candidate.

10 In Wolverhampton it can take up to 2 years to have an adaptation to your house, yet a report from the Office of Disability Issues, states that there are massive savings to the health service in making these preventative measures available much sooner. What do you think?
Council planning committees should take the information from the Office of Disability Issues into consideration when making decisions.