§ Amendment proposed: No. 7, in page 68, line 9, after 'shall'insert 'include'.—[Mr. Norris.]
§ Mr. HarveyIn the Standing Committee, I moved an amendment standing in my name and that of members of the all-party disablement group. At that time the Minister agreed to accept the amendment in principle and come back with a reworking of it. As yet, I have not seen any sign of any such amendment. The Minister specifically said that he would reflect on how to give effect to the meaning of the amendment. It may be that he is still reflecting on it. Is it his intention to table an amendment in another place? I shall be pleased to hear about that.
§ Mr. FreemanAmendment No. 7 fulfils the commitment that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Sir J. Hannam) but, more specifically, the hon. Member for North Devon (Mr. Harvey).
If the hon. Member is not satisfied that we have fulfilled our commitment in connection with the disabled, perhaps he will communicate with me. I give an undertaking that then we shall consider the matter in another place. The matter should not be controversial. Clear commitments were given that in the annual report of the regulator reference would be made to not only the employment of disabled people but facilities for them.
§ Mr. HarveyThe Minister may be confused about the subject matter. The amendment to which I referred dealt with a code of practice governing facilities for passengers on the railways. It did not cover employment. It dealt with how the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee was to be involved in communication with the regulator. Welcome as the string of amendments are, they do not deal with that subject.
§ Mr. FreemanI certainly recollect that commitment. The hon. Gentleman is right: it is not covered by amendment Nos. 7 to 11. I assure him that we shall return to the subject in another place. We have not yet reached the right conclusion. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman tomorrow.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyI do not seek a commitment from my hon. Friend the Minister, but will he consider asking the chairman of the advisory committee to provide an open letter to the Secretary of State giving the views of the committee on the position in the Bill as it appears to the committee?
§ Mr. FreemanWe have already received an opinion from the previous chairman. I shall write to the present chairman and ask him to write to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on that point.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Amendments made: No. 8, in page 68, line 10, leave out 'include'.
§
No. 9, in page 68, line 12, at end insert—
(aa) general surveys of any developments during that year which relate to—
- (i) the provision of railway passenger services or station services for, or the use of such services by, persons who are disabled; or
- (ii) the employment by licence holders of persons who are disabled;'.
§ No. 10, in page 68, line 13, leave out 'set'and insert 'a statement setting'.
855§ No. 11, in page 68, line 15, leave out 'include'.—[Mr. Arbuthnot.]