§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take powers to ensure that access for the disabled is considered by local planning authorities in all planning applications for buildings open to the public, that a constant check list is provided for access to all new or redeveloped buildings, and that the reasons for failure to provide access are made public; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EyreNo. A similar suggestion was rejected by Parliament during the140W passing of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. It was then decided that the right approach was to ask local authorities to draw the attention of developers to the provisions of Section 4 of the Act. This was done by MHLG circular 65/70.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what surveys have been made of the width of lavatory doors for the disabled and aged; if he will carry out an investigation into the advantages of compulsorily increasing the width of all lavatory doors; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EyreMy Department is actively pursuing ways and means of improving the design of housing, especially housing that is likely to be used by disabled and elderly people. Preliminary results do not however indicate that a policy of widening all lavatory doors in housing would be the most effective way of achieving this improvement.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to compel all public lavatories to have reasonable access for the disabled and at least one toilet suitable for wheelchair users; and if lie will make a statement.
§ Mr. EyreNo. Section 5 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 already requires local authorities to provide for the disabled, so far as is practicable and reasonable, when providing new public lavatories, and MHLG circular 65/70 asks them to do what they can to improve access to and facilities in their existing buildings.