HC Deb 11 January 1999 vol 323 c33W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures will be in place to ensure that the proposed People's Question Time for the London Mayor and the Assembly of the Greater London Authority will be(a) publicised by means accessible to people with sensory disabilities, (b) in buildings which are accessible to disabled people and (c) equipped to offer communication support to deaf and hard of hearing people who might attend. [64488]

Mr. Raynsford

The GLA will need to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 when deciding how best to publicise People's Question Time and its other public meetings and whether to hold them in the GLA building or other suitable locations. The GLA's own building will be built to a specification which as a minimum meets the standards set out in current legislation. Specific requirements have yet to be finalised, but I would expect the building to be equipped to meet the needs of all disabled people. For example, I envisage that the chamber and committee rooms would be equipped with induction loops for the hard of hearing.