26 November 2004

New Bill to offer better services for disabled people

The government has outlined proposals today aimed at improving access to services for people with disabilities.

The new measures, part of the Disabilities Discrimination Bill, include extending the support for those living with progressive conditions like HIV, Multiple Sclerosis and cancer as soon as they are diagnosed.

The plans will also ensure that access to public transport and public services, like the issuing of driving licences, is improved.

Work and Pensions Secretary Alan Johnson said that there would be a new duty on public bodies to "promote equality of opportunity" for disabled people.

Minister for Disabled People Maria Eagle said: "The Bill will have a real and meaningful impact on the lives of disabled people. Its measures would mean that the public sector would be required to consider the needs of disabled people rather than waiting for a complaint or a problem to arise.

"It would make challenging discrimination much easier and result in improvements to everyday activities such as using public transport."

The Bill aims to build on the Disability Discrimination Act which provides extensive protection for disabled people against discrimination in areas like employment, education, transport and access to goods and services.

New provisions which came into force on 1 October 2004 increased protection for disabled people in employment and in access to goods and services.

(gmcg)