16th July 2004
The Government's positive response to the recommendations by the Joint Scrutiny Committee relating to the Draft Disability Discrimination Bill has been welcomed by UnumProvident, the UK's leading disability insurer, as a further move to extend and protect the rights of the disabled community.
Joanne Hindle, Corporate Services Director for UnumProvident, said:
We have undertaken a long-term campaign to improve return-to-work outcomes for disabled people in the UK. One million disabled adults in the UK who do not currently have a job say that they would like one. The introduction of this Bill will help many more disabled people find rewarding and sustainable employment.
The Government's response to the Scrutiny Committee's recommendations, which was announced this week by Work & Pensions Secretary, Andrew Smith MP, will help to ensure the introduction of the Bill at the earliest opportunity during this Parliament. Provisional implementation of the Act will start in December 2005.
Key recommendations made by the Committee include:
- The requirement that a mental illness must be clinically well recognised must be removed
- Progressive conditions such as HIV, MS and Cancer will be brought within the scope of the DDA
- Put a positive duty on public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled please, similar to that introduced in the race equality (Amendment) Act.
ENDS