HC Deb 06 February 1978 vol 943 cc393-5W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of evidence sent to him by the hon. Mem ber for Eccles, he will seek to amend the law to make it an offence to impose discriminatory restrictions on disabled people seeking holiday accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moonman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he proposes to take any action against public companies discriminating against mentally handicapped people;

(2) if he will make a further statement of his policy towards leisure companies which accept booking of holidays for mentally handicapped people conditional upon those people satisfying that company's own arbitrary criteria that necessarily discriminate against the more severely handicapped;

(3) in view of current discrimination against mentally handicapped persons on the basis of the degree of their handicap, if he remains satisfied with the working of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

Mr. Alfred Morris

My. Hon. Friends drew my attention to reports, including a report in The Guardian, of discriminatory restrictions against mentally handicapped people wishing to take holidays at Butlin's Holiday Camps. I expressed my concern about the reports in a public statement on 30th January and instructed my Department to seek early discussions with the firm.

My officials met Mr. Robert Butlin and other representatives of the firm on 3rd February. Mr. Butlin has undertaken to review the terms of a letter which was criticised in the reports sent to me by my hon. Friends. This review will take full account of my public statement. The firm has also accepted my Department's offer of assistance in resolving any future problems that may arise in providing holidays for handicapped people.

I shall keep the suggestion of legislation in mind. Meanwhile, I know that my hon. Friends appreciate the importance of the Silver Jubilee Committee on Improving Access for Disabled People, which is seeking the help of all right hon. and hon. Members in drawing public attention to its work.

There has been a marked improvement in public attitudes to mentally handicapped people over the past few years. I am sure the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act has contributed much to this improvement. The number of holidays provided for severely handicapped people under the provisions of Section 2 of the Act increased by 25 per cent. from 80,900 in 1973 to 101,400 in 1976.