HC Deb 08 September 2003 vol 410 cc57-8W
Dr. Vincent Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions he has taken or is taking to ensure that the websites of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are accessible to partially sighted and blind people; and if he will make a statement. [117333]

Fiona Mactaggart

The Home Office requires that all websites under its management be designed to meet government and international guidelines on accessibility. All new websites will be accessibility tested before publication, taking account of the guidelines recently issued by the e-Envoy as part of the Quality Framework for UK Government Website Design.

Although some existing sites may not meet all of the criteria required, a review is being planned within a project to redevelop the Home Office website with the intention that these rigorous standards should be applied retrospectively.

16 per cent. of victims of violence and 20 per cent. of victims of vehicle related theft (based on vehicle owners only) lived in rural areas. The available data is set out as follows.