§ Sir Nicholas ScottTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which sections of the Disability Discrimination Act 1985 are now in effect; and what plans he has for bringing further sections into effect. [24376]
§ Mr. BurtThe Disability Discrimination Act received Royal Assent on 8 November 1995. The National Disability Council was established in January 1996 to advise the Government on the implementation of the Act. It has already prepared its proposals for a code of practice which are currently the subject of public consultation. The Government plan to implement the new employment rights and the initial rights of access to goods, facilities 219W and services around the end of this year. The remaining rights will be implemented over a period of time, the length of which is subject to public consultation.
The education provisions are to be introduced over the next 18 months, with the first provisions coming into force in July 1996. The Department of Transport will be consulting in the near future on the transport provisions in the Act.