§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect of(a) the retirement of senior officials in the Disability Directorate and (b) the delay in forming the Equality Commission on the Commission's ability to enforce rights by April 2000 under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [95179]
934Wthe publication of the IDB Annual Report in mid-November. Separate figures for prospective foreign and United Kingdom investors are not available for 1994–95 and would involve disproportionate costs to extract.
§ Mr. George HowarthNone. A number of members of the former Disability Council have been appointed to the Equality Commission and several others have agreed to act in a consulting capacity to the Commission. It is intended that a draft Order-in-Council to confer the necessary disability rights enforcement powers on the Equality Commission will be laid before Parliament shortly. The Commission is making preparations to recruit and train staff to ensure that these powers are given effect from April 2000.