HC Deb 10 May 1993 vol 224 cc489-91
29. Mr. Wareing

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to ensure that specific provision is made in the various charters for the needs of disabled people.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. William Waldegrave)

Charters should take account of the needs of all customers and set standards of service which apply to all of them, including people with disabilities.

Mr. Wareing

Is the Minister aware that since, tragically, the Conservatives came to power in 1979, there have been five private Members' Bills, including two of mine, designed to outlaw discrimination against disabled people? When will the Government break the habit of a lifetime and listen to people, including every disabled persons' organisation? Is he aware that they all believe that those measures should have been allowed through by the Government? Will he make sure that there is early legislation to ensure that, in future, disabled people in Britain are regarded as first-class rather than second-class citizens?

Mr. Waldegrave

That comes ill from the Labour party. There has been a 300 per cent. real-terms increase in spending on the disabled since the Labour party was last in power. That is a record to be proud of.

Mr. Peter Atkinson

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the publication of charters for individual services was the best way to proceed, rather than publication for groups of services? Does he further agree that the publication of individual services must improve a particular service, rather than that of a whole sector?

Mr. Waldegrave

My hon. Friend is entirely right. Much the best way to get better standards from organisations is to set targets for them. That is why I am pleased to say that 27 of the 31 existing charters have specific targets aimed at helping disabled people, and I hope that the other four will be improved so that they do, too.

Ms Hoey

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that an important need for people in receipt of disability benefit and those in receipt of other benefits, such as pensioners, is flexibility and choice as to how the benefit is paid? Does he realise that the Department of Social Security is introducing new forms that do not give the option of payment through post offices? Given the inconvenience and hardship that that will cause to all those claiming benefits, particularly the disabled, will he stand up for the citizen's right to choose and stop the DSS acting in such a devious manner?

Mr. Waldegrave

There is no intention to infringe in any way the right of people to choose how they want their pensions or other benefits paid. I believe that the DSS has been carrying out experiments to find out whether various alternative methods of payment are acceptable, but no decisions have been taken on any changes.

Mr. Bowis

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the system of charters brings great benefits to people with disabilities, in housing, transport, education, and so on? Will my right hon. Friend ensure, as and when new charters are developed and introduced, that he always bears in mind the need to consult people with disabilities and their organisations, in order to produce all consultative documents in forms that people with visual handicaps can understand?

Mr. Waldegrave

I thoroughly agree with my hon. Friend's point. We have produced a range of tapes and material in Braille for that very purpose. I had a useful meeting with members of the all-party disablement group recently, including my hon. Friends the Members for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) and for Exeter (Sir J. Hannam), at which we discussed those issues.