House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 19 Nov 2003 (pt 47)

19 Nov 2003 : Column 1064W—continued

Justices of the Peace

Bob Russell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what action the Lord Chancellor will take in respect of declarations by justices of the peace of their intention not to uphold the law; and if he will make a statement. [137853]

Mr. Leslie: On appointment, magistrates take the judicial oath and sign a written undertaking to administer justice according to the law and to resign from the Commission of the Peace if they are unable to perform their duties. If it appears to the Lord Chancellor, having considered advice from the local Advisory Committee, that a magistrate has failed to carry out his or her duties, he has powers under Section 5 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997 to counsel, caution, admonish, suspend or remove that person from office.

Witness Suites

Mr. Allen: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will take steps to move the witness suite at Nottingham Crown Court from proximity to the main entrance used by defendants. [139279]

Mr. Leslie: Using funds made available from the Government's Street Crime Initiative, the Witness Suite on the Ground Floor was created in the summer of last year. The location of the suite was determined after consultation with the Witness Support Service and local Court Managers.

The new Witness Suite has been well received by the Witness Support Service. The facilities are a significant improvement on those previously provided. There are no current plans to change further the provisions for witnesses at the Crown Court in Nottingham.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Bechtel

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will list the contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel for agencies responsible to his Department and its predecessor in each year since 1997, stating in each case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if he will make a statement; [137889]

(a)

(b)

(c)

Maria Eagle: Neither the Department for Work and Pensions (formed in June 2001) nor its predecessors has had any contracts with Bechtel in each year since 1997.

19 Nov 2003 : Column 1065W

Benefits

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he will take to help (a) housebound and (b) disabled people access new systems for receiving benefits and tax credits. [139150]

Mr. Pond: The Department is committed to ensure that all people have access to their benefits and pensions; indeed, many housebound and disabled customers have been paid by Direct Payment for some time.

All customers, including housebound and disabled people, are being provided with information on all of the account options suitable for Direct Payment. It is for customers themselves to decide which type of account they wish to have their money paid into. Once customers contact the Department they are able to talk to an advisor who can help them understand the options open to them.

Third party access will continue to be available under Direct Payment for those customers who may need someone to collect their benefit or pension for them.

However, we have always recognised that there will be a small group of people who we cannot pay directly into an account. We are developing an exceptions method of payment to pay this group.

Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 4 June from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. Howarth (Fallows). [127746]

Mr. Blunkett: I have been asked to reply.

A response was sent to my right hon. Friend on 16 July 2003.

19 Nov 2003 : Column 1066W

Disability Discrimination

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) representations and (b) discussions he has had in the last 12 months on the viability of extending the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to protect people who have progressive illnesses with particular reference to cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS; and if he will make a statement. [139447]

Maria Eagle: In their legislative review published in April 2003 The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) reiterated our proposals in "Towards Inclusion" to extend the definition of disability to cover more people with HIV and cancer and recommended a further change that would benefit more people with multiple sclerosis. Since then officials have been involved in a number of discussions with the DRC about the proposals.

Officials have received a range of other representations regarding the definition of disability from disabled people, civil rights groups and organisations that represent disabled people, urging change and supportive of the proposals in "Towards Inclusion". The majority of these have come from people concerned about HIV infection. This included a letter campaign earlier this year supporting the case for extending the DDA to cover HIV from point of diagnosis.

Disabled People

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures have been taken by the Government since 1997 to advance civil rights legislation for disabled people. [139291]

Maria Eagle: Since 1997, we have introduced a wide range of significant measures to improve and broaden civil rights for disabled people, including:

Measures

December 1997 Set up the Disability Rights Task Force to consider how best to secure our 1997 Manifesto commitment to look at comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people

December 1998 Employment provisions of Disability Discrimination Act extended to employers with 15 or more employees (previously 20 or more)

January 1999 All new rail vehicles to comply with Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations

July 1999 Assent. Disability Rights Commission Act 1999 gains Royal Commission opens in April 2000

October 1999 Further DDA rights of access to goods and services came into force, meaning service providers have to alter a policy, practice or procedure which prevents a disabled person accessing a service, or to provide an auxiliary aid or service, or provide a service by a reasonably alternative means

October 2000 Government agrees the EU Article 13 Employment Directive to combat discrimination in employment and vocational training on grounds of disability, age, religion/belief, sexual orientation

December 2000 All new full size single deck buses over 7.5 tonnes and double deck buses to be fully accessible to disabled people, including wheelchair users; new buses up to 7.5 tonnes and coaches to have improved access for ambulant and sensory impaired passengers

May 2001 Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) gains Royal Assent. The Act brings within scope of the DDA's discrimination provisions disabled pupils and students

September 2002 First duties of SENDA come into force in September 2002

March 2003 Regulations introduced to require taxi drivers to accept assistance dogs and to carry them free of charge

April 2003 The Disability Discrimination (Blind and Partially Sighted Persons) Regulations 2003 came into force. People who are certified as blind or partially sighted, or registered as blind or partially sighted by a local authority, automatically deemed disabled for DDA purposes

July 2003 DDA 1995 (Amendment) Regulations 2003 approved by Parliament. These include significant measures that will bring over 1 million additional employers, and a further 7 million jobs, within the scope of the DDA. Measures come into effect in October 2004. They implement disability provisions of the Article 13 Employment Directive

November 2003 Began public consultation on setting an end date for rail vehicle accessibility and for refurbishment of rail vehicles

November 2003 Laid Regulations to give effect to the Article 13 Directive's requirements as they affect occupational pension schemes for disabled employees. Measures come into effect in October 2004

	Measures
December 1997	Set up the Disability Rights Task Force to consider how best to secure our 1997 Manifesto commitment to look at comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people
December 1998	Employment provisions of Disability Discrimination Act extended to employers with 15 or more employees (previously 20 or more)
January 1999	All new rail vehicles to comply with Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations
July 1999 Assent.	Disability Rights Commission Act 1999 gains Royal Commission opens in April 2000
October 1999	Further DDA rights of access to goods and services came into force, meaning service providers have to alter a policy, practice or procedure which prevents a disabled person accessing a service, or to provide an auxiliary aid or service, or provide a service by a reasonably alternative means
October 2000	Government agrees the EU Article 13 Employment Directive to combat discrimination in employment and vocational training on grounds of disability, age, religion/belief, sexual orientation
December 2000	All new full size single deck buses over 7.5 tonnes and double deck buses to be fully accessible to disabled people, including wheelchair users; new buses up to 7.5 tonnes and coaches to have improved access for ambulant and sensory impaired passengers
May 2001	Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) gains Royal Assent. The Act brings within scope of the DDA's discrimination provisions disabled pupils and students
September 2002	First duties of SENDA come into force in September 2002
March 2003	Regulations introduced to require taxi drivers to accept assistance dogs and to carry them free of charge
April 2003	The Disability Discrimination (Blind and Partially Sighted Persons) Regulations 2003 came into force. People who are certified as blind or partially sighted, or registered as blind or partially sighted by a local authority, automatically deemed disabled for DDA purposes
July 2003	DDA 1995 (Amendment) Regulations 2003 approved by Parliament. These include significant measures that will bring over 1 million additional employers, and a further 7 million jobs, within the scope of the DDA. Measures come into effect in October 2004. They implement disability provisions of the Article 13 Employment Directive
November 2003	Began public consultation on setting an end date for rail vehicle accessibility and for refurbishment of rail vehicles
November 2003	Laid Regulations to give effect to the Article 13 Directive's requirements as they affect occupational pension schemes for disabled employees. Measures come into effect in October 2004

19 Nov 2003 : Column 1067W

Since 1997, we have also announced the following future measures to improve and broaden civil rights for disabled people.

19 Nov 2003 : Column 1068W

Measures

October 2004 Final rights of access to goods and services in DDA come into effect, which mean that service providers have to, where reasonable, remove, alter or avoid physical features which act as barriers to disabled people accessing their services

September 2005 SENDA duty to remove or alter physical features in post-16 education sector comes into force

January 2005 New buses up to 7.5 tonnes and coaches will have improved access for wheelchair users

January 2015 All buses up to 7.5 tonnes will be fully accessible

January 2016 All full size single deck buses over 7.5 tonnes will be fully accessible

January 2017 All double deck buses will be fully accessible

January 2020 All coaches will be fully accessible

	Measures
October 2004	Final rights of access to goods and services in DDA come into effect, which mean that service providers have to, where reasonable, remove, alter or avoid physical features which act as barriers to disabled people accessing their services
September 2005	SENDA duty to remove or alter physical features in post-16 education sector comes into force
January 2005	New buses up to 7.5 tonnes and coaches will have improved access for wheelchair users
January 2015	All buses up to 7.5 tonnes will be fully accessible
January 2016	All full size single deck buses over 7.5 tonnes will be fully accessible
January 2017	All double deck buses will be fully accessible
January 2020	All coaches will be fully accessible

In addition, we will publish later this year a draft Disability Bill which will include measures to further extend disabled people's civil rights in respect of the public sector, transport, premises, private clubs, and the definition of disability.

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