This week's news: bus service cuts and scientific breakthroughs

There's a real mixed bag of disability stories in the papers this week. Notable in political news, is the Liberal Democrats plan to urge changes to the controversial ESA and Incapacity Benefit tests, at their party conference in Birmingham. The BBC reports that: "Party members will call for a reduction in the number of cases overturned on appeal, to continue to reform the tests and to make them more accurate - particularly for those whose symptoms fluctuate and to make assessments "less stressful."

Elsewhere, a report, released today by the transport select committee, has stated that Bus service cuts threaten the most vulnerable. The report says that elderly and disabled people are being stopped from working, taking part in education or accessing healthcare. In response, the government says that they are monitoring this "challenging" situation, which has seen local transport budgets lowered by as much as 70 percent in some areas.

And finally, a disability news roundup would not be complete without heralding a couple of scientific breakthroughs. This week, scientists have been reporting on the role genetics has to play in Schizophrenia and MS. A report in the journal Nature Genetics showed that "fresh mutations" in DNA are involved in at least half of schizophrenia cases, when there is no family history of the illness. And Helen Briggs reports for the BBC that a UK team has discovered around 30 genetic risk factors for developing multiple sclerosis, most of which are linked to immunity. She is quick to point out however, that genes are only part of the MS story.

Elsewhere in the news

Vulnerable patients face 'painful waits in the NHS'

Dementia care: the inside story (The Telegraph)

Research linking autism to internet use is criticised (The Observer)

'Blind Dave' Heeley set to run ten marathons in ten days (BBC )

Charlie Swinbourne: Why Angry Boys' puerile deaf kid is my hero (The Guardian)

Small talk at the movies: cinemas let autistic children make some noise (The Guardian)

Disabled Hollyoaks actor Peter Mitchell hits out (The Sun)

Deaf man complains nudist festival would not provide interpreter (Reuters)