The Minister of Social Affairs Hanno Pevkur replied to the interpellation concerning the system of allowances for disabled persons (No 532), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Nikolai Põdramägi, Jaak Aab, Toivo Tootsen, Olga Sõtnik, Vladimir Velman, Nelli Privalova, Eldar Efendijev, Enn Eesmaa, Inara Luigas, Mailis Reps, Georg Pelisaar, Valeri Korb, Rein Ratas and Evelyn Sepp on 10 November.
 
Pevkur explained that the system of allowances for disabled persons of working age had been transferred to new grounds as of 1 October 2008. While earlier the monthly allowance depended directly on the degree of severity of the disability, now, additional expenses caused by the disability are established in the case of persons of working age. The amount of the allowance will be determined on the basis of the additional expenses. “The purpose of the change was in the first place to promote the activeness of disabled people. It was presumed that the people who are more active incur more additional expenses than the people who are passive,” said the Minister of Social Affairs. In his words, disabled persons of retirement age continue to receive allowances pursuant to the current system where additional expenses are not established and the degree of severity of the disability is determined on the basis of the need for personal assistance or guidance. Several different expense components are taken into account as additional expenses when determining the amount of the allowance for disabled persons of working age: medicinal products and transport, medical devices, special need for clothing and footwear, increased self-care and household expenses, the means of communication. “The purpose of the allowance is not to definitely cover all actual additional expenses but to partly compensate the additional expenses caused by a disability,” noted Pevkur.
 
In the words of the Minister of Social Affairs, in order to improve the availability of the services intended for disabled persons at local governments, possible proposals to amend the Social Welfare Act have been prepared in the Ministry of Social Affairs and they are being negotiated also with local governments so that social services provided in all local governments would be harmonised.
 
Pevkur replied to six more interpellations. They were the following:
 
the interpellation concerning the public procurements of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (No 536), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Lauri Laasi, Nikolai Põdramägi, Heimar Lenk, Rein Ratas, Eldar Efendijev and Olga Sõtnik on 17 November;
 
the interpellation concerning the availability of the trainings of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (No 537), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Jaak Aab, Evelyn Sepp, Kadri Simson, Ester Tuiksoo, Marika Tuus, Lembit Kaljuvee, Valeri Korb, Helle Kalda, Georg Pelisaar, Mailis Reps, Enn Eesmaa, Eldar Efendijev and Nikolai Põdramägi on 17 November;
 
the interpellation concerning unemployment (No 541), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kadri Simson, Kalle Laanet, Jaak Aab, Helle Kalda, Inara Luigas, Toivo Tootsen, Enn Eesmaa, Nikolai Põdramägi, Lauri Laasi, Olga Sõtnik, Aivar Riisalu and Lembit Kaljuvee on 22 November;
 
the interpellation concerning the unemployment insurance benefit (No 542), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Olga Sõtnik, Lauri Laasi, Vladimir Velman, Toivo Tootsen, Nelli Privalova and Marika Tuus on 23 November;
 
the interpellation concerning dental care of mentally disabled people (No 547), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Mai Treial, Jaak Aab and Ester Tuiksoo on 25 November;
 
the interpellation concerning home delivery of pensions (No 559), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Olga Sõtnik, Ester Tuiksoo, Kadri Simson, Eldar Efendijev, Nelli Privalova, Marika Tuus, Valeri Korb and Vladimir Velman on 23 December.
 
The Estonian Centre Party Faction as the initiator withdrew from the legislative proceeding the Bill on Amendments to the Traffic Act (885 SE).
 
The Riigikogu Press Service
 
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