APPENDIX 3
Memorandum from the Royal National Institute
for the Blind
The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB),
as the largest organisation in the UK representing the interests
of blind and partially sighted people, is very pleased to submit
a response for consideration by the Sub-Committee, as issues of
currency design, so that notes and coins are easily recognisable
and usable by people with sight problems without error or confusion,
is a matter of major concern to people with a visual impairment.
We have been active in discussion of these issues with the Royal
Mint over many years, and have often been consulted by the Mint
when issues concerning the design and issue of new coins come
up. We have also been very active, through the European Blind
Union (EBU) in discussions over the design of the new Euro currency,
and have contributed to the work of Treasury working groups preparing
for the possible change-over to the Euro in this country. To give
the Sub-Committee an idea of the work in which we have been involved
and the principles of currency design we are concerned to promote
so that the currency can be fully inclusive so far as visually
impaired people are concerned, I am enclosing with this letter
a copy of the EBU's document "Currency Design for Visually
Impaired people", in whose preparation we had a large hand[1].
In the following paragraphs, I shall attempt to summarise the
issues for the Royal Mint which our experience tells us need to
be addressed by the Sub-Committee so far as people with a visual
impairment are concerned.
These are:
1. HAVING CLEAR
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THE USABILITY
BY CONSUMERS
OF CURRENCY
CIRCULATING IN
THE UK.
1.1 Consultation with consumers on UK currency.
1.2 Representation over any future EU currency
circulating in the UK.
2. CO-ORDINATION
OF THE
DESIGN AND
UTILITY OF
CASH AND
CREDIT INSTRUMENTS
IN THE
UK
2.1 Being entirely separate from the Bank
of England and the Scottish, Northern Irish, Isle of Man, Jersey
etc who are responsible for issuing banknotes.
2.2 No clear responsibility for the development
of electronic purses, credit cards and the standards applied to
ensure inclusion.
DETAILED COMMENTS:
1. HAVING CLEAR
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THE USABILITY
BY CONSUMERS
OF CURRENCY
CIRCULATING IN
THE UK
1.1 Consultation with consumers on UK currency
Though the Royal Mint has consulted with RNIB
on an informal basis on the design of coins, it is not clear that
one of their principal objectives is to ensure that the system
of coins is usable by all UK citizens, and from our standpoint
that it takes into account the needs of people with significant
sight problems.
On the other hand, it is worth noting from our
evaluation of coin systems in the world as part of responding
to the development of the Euro, that the UK system compares very
favourably. The system of shaped coins (50p and 20p), significant
differentials in size and shape etc conforms well to our guidelines
and is better than many.
We would recommend that in any future arrangements
there is a clear objective for the Mint to ensure coins are inclusively
designed to be usable by all citizens, and that it has an obligation
to consult.
1.2 Representation over any future EU currency
circulating in the UK.
During the discussions on the development of
the Euro, at a time when it was not formally decided whether the
UK was going to join, RNIB (through the European Blind Union)
took an active role in promoting the needs of blind and partially
sighted people in the design of the new system. This was particularly
successful for notes, but less so for the system of coins. There
were many reasons for this, but one of them seemed to be a lack
of clarity about who the responsible authorities were, and how
to influence them. The result was that from the very beginning
of the design process for notes, our user requirements were considered
and we had a successful outcome without too much difficulty and
expense for the industry and politicians involved. Whereas on
coins many key decisions had been taken before any serious consultation
took place and that meant necessary changes involved intervention
at a high political level and costs to all parties. The result
was less satisfactory.
We do not feel we got clear leadership and intervention
from the Royal Mint on this subject and it appears that there
was little clarity in the various responsibilities.
We would recommend again that in any future
arrangements there are clear lines of responsibility for influencing
such design issues. This is not academic, as we believe there
will have to be future adjustments to the Euro system.
2. CO-ORDINATION
OF THE
DESIGN AND
UTILITY OF
CASH AND
CREDIT INSTRUMENTS
IN THE
UK
2.1 Being entirely separate from the Bank
of England and the Scottish, Northern Irish, Isle of Man, Jersey
etc who are responsible for issuing banknotes.
To be able to use the common payment system
is the key to inclusion in our society. As citizens we use in
an integrated manner notes, coins, cash cards, credit cards and
potentially electronic purses (very big in Holland, and Belgium)
and Internet money systems. However there is no one authority
which has overall responsibility for the usability of the payment
systems by citizens. This means that co-ordination happens as
the result of goodwill and chance rather than by systematic design.
In an increasingly devolved UK will this work in the long term?
We would recommend that there should be a body
whose responsibility is to define standards to ensure the usability
of payment systems for all citizens, and that it should have clear
accountability and the requirement to consult.
2.2 No clear responsibility for the development
of electronic purses, credit cards, internet money and the standards
applied to ensure inclusion of all citizens
In particular we draw attention to the increasing
importance of new payment systems, and the lack of any authority
responsible for ensuring their usability by all citizens.
12 January 2001
1 Not printed. Back
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