HC Deb 14 June 2004 vol 422 cc707-8W
Mr. Berry

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment has been made of the percentage of disabled people who will be able to access all Government services electronically by 2005. [177024]

Mr. Alexander

There are currently no figures on the number of disabled people using online services. The Government recognise that basic access to technology is a problem for many disabled people and the importance of not excluding any citizens who wish to use our online services.

A number of initiatives have been established like the 6,000 UK Online centres, with 25 per cent., of these having practical equipment to assist the disabled in getting online.

By implementing the World Wide Web Consortiums (W3C), Web Accessibility initiative (WAI), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and standard usability practices, we are endeavouring to make our online services as accessible and usable as currently practical. A copy of the "Web Accessibility Guidelines" has been placed in the Library.

Mr. Berry

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what Government guidelines cover the provision of information in(a) British Sign Language and (b) Easy Read for people with learning disabilities on Government Departments' and agencies' websites. [177022]

Mr. Alexander

The Government published "Let's make it accessible: Improving Government information for disabled people" in 2001 to help Government Departments and agencies to develop strategies to meet the information needs of their disabled customers. It recommends that Departments and agencies should adopt a good practice approach and that information should be user-friendly and accessible to disabled people. The guidance covers the potential needs of people with a range of impairments, including people who are learning disabled or who are profoundly deaf and use British Sign Language as their first language. It also suggests a range of methods for making information accessible to disabled people.

The Guidelines for UK Government websites (published 2002) and the Quality Framework for UK Government Website Design (published 2003) require government websites to implement the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative. We are not aware of a standard meaning for the term Easy Read and no recognised guidance on how to implement it on websites. We are currently reviewing a number of commercial applications that may improve website access to users with learning difficulties.

Mr. Berry

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans his Department has to raise awareness in the public and private sectors and in the relevant professional groups of (a) the web accessibility needs of disabled people and (b) the cost of meeting those needs. [177023]

Mr. Alexander

The Cabinet Office has published the 'Guidelines for UK Government Websites', which provides extensive guidance to government web managers and their contractors on making websites accessible to people with disabilities. Copies are available in the Library. We work closely with external organisations such as the RNIB and RNID.

Following the publication of the Disability Rights Commission report on web accessibility in April 2004 officials have been in discussion with the Commission on the issues of raising awareness and associated costs.