§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will assess the proposals contained in the Equal Opportunities Commission report, Equality in the 21st Century, as a model for a proposed disability rights commission; and if he will make a statement. [59489]
§ Ms HodgeThe Government have completed their consultation exercise on the role and functions of the Disability Rights Commission and the responses are currently being considered. The proposals were based largely on the recommendations provided by the Disability Rights Task Force before Easter. The Government have recently received the Equal Opportunities Commission's wide-ranging proposals for changes to the law. These will be considered carefully and the Government will have regard to their relevance to the Disability Rights Commission. Legislation to create the Disability Rights Commission will be introduced as soon as the parliamentary timetable allows.