Equality For Disabled?

A House of Lords Committee set up especially to look at the Equality Act 2010 and its impact on people with disabilities has launched its investigation.

 

The Committee was set up to look at the provisions of the Act, and also its implementation, in relation to how it has served people with disabilities. The Equality Act 2010 was intended to harmonise all discrimination law and to strengthen the law to support progress on equality. The Select Committee on the Equality Act 2010 will ask how effective this legislation is.

Chair of the Committee Baroness Deech said:

“We aim to look at a wide range of areas where the law has an impact on people with disabilities, from how employers cater for their staff, to accessibility of buildings, to whether the enforcement of the law is being carried out as effectively as possible.”

Areas that the Committee will look at include:

­- The achievements of the Equality Act 2010 in harmonising disability discrimination law.

- Possible gaps in the legislation affecting people with disabilities.

- Reasonable adjustment, and how well this concept is understood and implemented.

- How effective the public sector equality duty has been in practice.

- How different approaches to the law across the UK have worked.

      - The division of responsibilities between Ministers and between Government departments.

- The role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in enforcing the legislation.

The Committee has to report by 23 March 2016.

Written evidence must be received by 4 September 2015.

 

Do you think the Equality Act works?