Plenary, 24 Feb 2005

Meeting date: Thursday, February 24, 2005

Official Report 804KB pdf

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Disability Discrimination Bill

The next item of business is consideration of motion S2M-2264, in the name of Malcolm Chisholm, on the Disability Discrimination Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees the principles contained in the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Bill, including the power to impose duties on public authorities, so far as those provisions relate to matters within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or confer functions on the Scottish Ministers, and agrees that they should be considered by the UK Parliament.—[Malcolm Chisholm.]

I say to the Parliament and to Mr Chisholm that we recognise the fact that, for the time being, sections of the bill pertain to reserved matters. We also recognise that it puts equality duties on public authorities and that certain modes of transport have been removed from part 3 of the bill. For those reasons, we will not oppose the bill.

I think that that was a message of support. It means that the SNP at last recognises that, like so many other Sewel motions, this motion confers powers on the Scottish ministers. There is a new duty for Scottish public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. I am glad that the Equal Opportunities Committee approved the motion in its deliberations.

As the minister is aware, the Equal Opportunities Committee took evidence on the bill from Capability Scotland, the Disability Rights Commission, Enable and Inclusion Scotland. They all welcomed the bill and stressed the importance of our approving a Sewel motion to ensure that the bill goes through the Westminster Parliament as quickly as possible.

In the light of representations from the commission and others, we intend to strengthen the measure further by broadening it to include a requirement that public authorities have due regard to the need to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and the need to encourage participation by disabled people in public life.

Thank you. The question on the motion will be put at decision time.