Anti-discrimination Bill should go further, says all party committee
An all-party Committee of MP’s and Peers has said the Disability Discrimination Bill could go further to provide better opportunities for the UK’s estimated 10 million disabled adults. Its report recommends ways for the Government to improve the draft Bill.
The Chairman of the Committee, Lord Carter, said, "The chances to legislate on disability issues are few and far between. The Government should seize this opportunity to deliver for disabled people.
"The full Bill should be introduced into Parliament as soon as possible. Our recommendations need not cause additional delay and will help to forge a coherent and practical path towards full rights for disabled people."
The Committee welcomed the extension of the definition of disability to include multiple sclerosis, HIV and cancer from the point of diagnosis. It recommended all progressive conditions currently covered under the existing act when they begin to have an effect should be included from diagnosis.
Among others recommendations are:
- the Government should agree without further delay" a date by when all trains must be accessible to disabled people. A deadline of 2017 is suggested as an appropriate compromise between the needs of disabled people and the railway industry’s current replacement programme
- public authorities should have a duty to promote good relations between disabled and non-disabled people
- the full Bill should prohibit landlords from unreasonably withholding consent for a disabled tenant to make appropriate physical alterations to a property
- the Government should consider whether the full Bill should include provisions for an accessible housing register to simplify the process of matching suitable accommodation to disabled people
- employment tribunals should be given the power to order reinstatement or re-engagement of an employee in disability discrimination cases
- all examining bodies and standard setting agencies should be covered
- the title should be the Disability Anti-Discrimination Bill, to highlight that the purpose of the measure is to combat discrimination.
The report is available on line at
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200304/jtselect/jtdisab/82/8202.htm
It is also available in standard, easy read, audio tape, Braille or large print formats.
The standard format report is published by The Stationery Office: Draft Disability Discrimination Bill, Joint Committee on the Draft Disability Discrimination Bill, HC 352-I, HL Paper 82-I, ISBN 0 10 400453 3, price £20.00.
There is a separate evidence volume available.
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