§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the remaining provisions of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 will be implemented; and if he will make a statement. [121312]
§ Ms HodgeWe have decided that the final stage of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act should come into force on 1 October 2004. From that date, in addition to their current duties, service providers will have to take reasonable steps to remove, alter or provide a reasonable means of avoiding physical features which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service.
I asked the National Disability Council to review the existing Code of Practice to take account of this final stage of the duties on service providers. A revised version of the Code and a Practical Guide for service providers were handed over to the Disability Rights Commission when it began operating on 25 April. Public consultation on the revised Code of Practice and Guide, and 221W the Government's proposals for a small number of Regulations under the Act, starts on 8 May and will last for three months.
The Commission will consider the views expressed in the consultation before preparing final versions of the Code and Guide.