APPENDIX 3: CALL FOR EVIDENCE
The Joint Committee invites interested organisations
and individuals to submit written evidence as part of its inquiry
into the Draft Disability Discrimination Bill. Submissions, reflecting
the guidance on written evidence given in this press notice, should
reach the Committee as soon as possible and no later than Friday
27 February 2004.
Scope of the Committee's inquiry
In particular, the Committee invites evidence on
the following themes:
1. Whether the draft bill's proposals are
necessary, workable and sufficient.
2. When the bill's provisions should come into
force.
3. What should be in the regulations, orders
and codes of practice proposed in the draft bill.
4. The adequacy of the enforcement procedures.
5. Whether the draft bill achieves the right
balance between securing the rights of disabled people and
imposing duties and costs on the private and public sectors.
6. The proposed change to the definition of disability.
7. Whether the range of "triggers"
in the draft bill for requiring reasonable adjustments are
appropriate.
8. How the draft bill reflects the Government's
2001 manifesto commitment to extend basic rights and opportunities
for disabled people.
The Committee does not intend to consider the issue
of comprehensive equality legislation.
Written evidence
All written evidence should be submitted to the Joint
Committee no later than Friday 27 February 2004. Given
the limited time available for the submission of evidence and
for the completion of the Committee's work, written evidence should
be short and should concentrate on the major issues arising from
the draft bill. Witnesses should feel free to cover only those
aspects of the draft bill in which they are particularly interested.
Written evidence should contain, if appropriate,
a brief introduction to the persons or organisations submitting
it. Submissions should take the form of a memorandum and should
have numbered paragraphs. They should not exceed 1500 words in
length. Unless submissions are very short, they should be accompanied
by a summary. Submissions may be accompanied by background material
(perhaps already published elsewhere), which will not be reprinted
by the Joint Committee.
We wish to receive written evidence, if possible,
in MS Word or rich text format, by e-mail to scrutiny@parliament.uk.
A single hard copy (single-sided, unbound) should also be sent
to Claudia Rock, Committee Office, House of Lords SW1A 0PW. If
you would find it difficult to submit evidence in this way, please
do not hesitate to contact us to discuss alternatives.
Once written evidence has been submitted it becomes
the property of the Committee. Those who have submitted written
evidence to the Joint Committee are welcome to publish their evidence
themselves (for example, by placing it on their own website),
provided that it is not published until after the Joint Committee
has acknowledged receipt of the evidence and that it is made clear
that the document was prepared as evidence to the Joint Committee.
Written submissions from those giving oral evidence will be available
at the relevant hearing. Written evidence will wherever possible
be posted on the Committee's webpages, and then either be published
by the Committee with its final Report or placed in the public
domain when that Report is published. Individuals and organisations
considering submitting information to the Committee that they
would wish the Committee to treat as confidential should consult
the Clerks in advance, initially by sending an e-mail to the address
given above.
26 January 2004
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