Question reference: S4W-02214
- Asked by: Humza Yousaf, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 15 August 2011
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 September 2011
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to make public services more accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Answer
In the first place the public sector equality duty in the Equality Act 2010, which came into force on 5 April, requires public authorities to have “due regard” to the need to eliminate discrimination, victimisation and harassment which are unlawful under the act; to advance equality of opportunity, and to foster good relations. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has produced guidance to help public authorities respond to the duty.
The Scottish Government works with a number of organisations to raise awareness of issues that affect the deaf community, to ensure the views of deaf people are heard, and to reduce barriers to inclusion for deaf people to bring about an improvement in service planning and delivery.