HC Deb 24 July 2002 vol 389 cc1576-7W
Mr. Berry

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1)(a) how and (b) when his Department will meet its commitments in the Government's response to the disability rights taskforce recommendations. [71754]

(2) (a) how and (b) when his Department will introduce a public sector duty to provide rights for disabled people similar to the duty introduced in the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. [71755]

Paul Holmes

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how and when he intends to create comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people. [72224]

Maria Eagle

We are already delivering on our commitments and have made clear that we will be bringing many of them into force in 2004 when we extend the current employment rights in the Disability Discrimination Act to employees in small firms, banisters, partners in business partnerships, the police and people in a range of other jobs. We are committed to comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people and will make further improvements to the DDA when Parliamentary time allows including introducing a duty on the public sector to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.