§ Mr. BerryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he plans to publish a final response to the report of the Disability Rights Task Force, "From Exclusion to Inclusion". [139408]
§ Ms HodgeThe Government published their interim response on many of the Task Force's non-legislative recommendations in March 2000. The SEN and Disability Rights in Education Bill, which will be presented to Parliament next Session, implements the Task Force's recommendations on civil rights in education. We have been considering the remainder of the Task Force's recommendations in the light of negotiations on the European Commission's Employment Directive, brought forward under Article 13 of the European Community Treaty. The Directive, which was agreed at the Council of Ministers on 17 October, has implications for many of the Task Force's recommendations on the definition of disability and discrimination in employment. We hope to be in a position to publish a final response to the Task Force around the end of February 2001.