A paper examined policy definitions of disability in European countries (including the United Kingdom), with special reference to social security, employment, anti-discrimination measures, and provisions for independent living.
Source: Helen Bolderson, Who Qualifies as 'Disabled'?: Definitions of disability in the social and regulatory policies of the European Union and its member states, School of International Studies (Politics Group)/Brunel University (01895 274000)
Links: Paper (Word file) | European Union report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
The government published a summary of responses to a consultation on ending discrimination against disabled people, including the definition of disability; employment discrimination; and access to goods, services, facilities and premises. It said that, in the light of the responses, it would be implementing the 'vast majority' of the employment proposals (originally made by the Disability Rights Task Force) in October 2004.
Source: Towards Inclusion - Civil rights for disabled people: Summary of responses received to the consultation exercise, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Dec
The government published a review of its 'significant' achievements during the European Year of Disabled People.
Source: Government and the European Year of Disabled People 2003: A year of progress, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8176)
Links: Report (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2003-Dec
The report was published of a large-scale qualitative research project which explored the attitudes and experiences of disabled people, and their perceptions of their identity in terms of disability, ethnicity, gender, age and sexuality.
Source: Donna Molloy, Tim Knight and Kandy Woodfield, Diversity in Disability: Exploring the interactions between disability, ethnicity, age, gender and sexuality, Research Report 188, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report | DWP press release
Date: 2003-Dec
The government published a draft Disability Discrimination Bill. The Bill would introduce a new positive duty on public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people; extend the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) to cover almost all activities of the public sector, including such functions as issuing licences; bring within the scope of the DDA more people diagnosed with the progressive conditions of HIV, MS and cancer; end the exemption of the use of transport vehicles from the DDA; enable disabled people to challenge discrimination when renting property and in their dealings with landlords and managers of rented premises; bring larger private members clubs within the scope of the DDA; and bring local councillors within the scope of the DDA, involving new rights not to be discriminated against by local authorities.
Source: Draft Disability Discrimination Bill, Cm 6058, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 3 December 2003, columns 62-64WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Draft Bill (pdf) | Explanatory notes | Hansard | DWP press release | DRC press release | Leonard Cheshire press release | Scope press release
Date: 2003-Dec
Campaigners from the Disabled People's Direct Action Network ('Dan') protested outside the offices of four leading disability charities. They called for the charities to be closed down, because they were not run by disabled people and failed to promote real independence for disabled people.
Source: The Guardian, 5 November 2003
Links: Guardian report | Dan website
Date: 2003-Nov
The government said that it planned to publish a draft Disability Discrimination Bill, aimed at increasing rights for disabled people to use public transport, buildings and larger private clubs.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, 26 November 2003, columns 4-7 (Queen's Speech), TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Queen's Speech | Mencap press release
Date: 2003-Nov
The government published the first annual report on progress towards improving the portrayal of disabled people in advertising. It said that during 2003 over half of all new government advertising campaigns included disabled people, and the long-term target that 1 in 5 government adverts should feature an image of disability had nearly been achieved.
Source: Images of Disability: Annual Report 2003, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: Report (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2003-Nov
A report examined what becoming disabled really meant; the risk of becoming disabled; the relationship between pre-existing poverty and becoming disabled; changes in income and transitions into and out of poverty, both before and after becoming disabled; changes in economic activity which took place when someone became disabled; the role of state benefits; and the effect of onset of disability on participation more broadly, for example in terms of leisure activities. Adults were more likely to become disabled if they were already living on low incomes.
Source: Tania Burchardt, Being and Becoming: Social exclusion and the onset of disability, CASEreport 21, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Report (pdf) | JRF Findings N23 | JRF press release
Date: 2003-Nov
The first meeting was held of the UK Disabled People's Parliament (UKDPP) in Birmingham - an event organised by disabled people for disabled people. Among the issues discussed was a draft Disabled People's Rights and Freedoms Bill, the government's promised draft bill to supplement the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), and the first steps towards developing a disability manifesto.
Source: Press release October 2003, British Council of Disabled People (01332 295551)
Links: BCODP press release | Draft Bill | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Oct
Campaigners set out a series of policy objectives designed to achieve full civil rights for disabled people. They said that understanding of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act remained poor among many employers, service providers and disabled people, with many unaware of the requirements to make goods, facilities and services more accessible to disabled people from 2004. They also said the government had yet to give a clear indication of when it would implement the recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force to strengthen the Act.
Source: The Seven Year Itch: What next in the campaign for full civil rights for disabled people?, Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (020 7250 3222)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Oct
The government introduced an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, designed to ensure that where an offence involved or was motivated by hostility based on the victim s disability (actual or presumed) the judge would be required to treat this as an aggravating factor, and to identify any extra element of the sentence given for the aggravation.
Source: The Guardian, 31 October 2003
Links: Guardian report | DRC press release
Date: 2003-Oct
The government said that it had decided (following consultation) to establish a single equality body incorporating the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission. It said the new body would provide an 'effective and flexible framework' for supporting equality legislation as well as underlining the importance of equality as a mainstream concern. The working title of the new body would be the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The Disability Rights Commission broadly welcomed the new commission, but raised concerns over 'unresolved' issues concerning the commission's structure. The Equal Opportunities Commission warned that a single equality and human rights body that was not backed up by stronger laws on sex equality would send a message to women that sex equality was not regarded as a priority. The Commission for Racial Equality said it welcomed the new commission, provided it had the power, the resources and the will to address race equality issues vigorously.
Source: Equality Institutions Review: A Commission for Equality and Human Rights, Women and Equality Unit/Department of Trade and Industry (0845 001 0029) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 30 October 2003, columns 17-19WS, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 30 October 2003, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633) | Press release 29 October 2003, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244) | Statement 30 October 2003, Commission for Racial Equality (020 7939 0000)
Links: Report | Hansard | DTI press release | DRC press release | EOC press release | CRE statement | Stonewall press release | Mind press release | Age Concern press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Oct
The Disability Rights Commission said that gaps in anti-discrimination law were providing a 'licence to discriminate' against disabled people. It said it was still powerless to help thousands of disabled people sacked or refused access to services, because they were not protected by the law. It called for changes in the law to allow disabled people to challenge the discrimination they faced on public transport and if they had certain medical conditions, including HIV and cancer.
Source: Looking to the Future: Annual review 2003, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report | DRC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Sep
The inaugural conference was held of the British Disability Studies Association, a new network of academics working in the field of disability studies.
Source: Schedule of the Conference, 'Disability Studies: Theory, Policy and Practice', held in Lancaster, September 2003
Links: Conference schedule and links to papers
Date: 2003-Sep
A new book provided an introduction to the concept of disability. It highlighted disabled people's exclusion and marginalisation in key areas of social activity and participation across different historical and cultural contexts, such as family life and reproduction, education, employment, leisure, cultural imagery and politics.
Source: Colin Barnes and Geof Mercer, Disability, Polity, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Aug
A new book offered an approach to understanding disability in society in a systematic way, using a novel life course approach. It examined how contemporary societies organise and control generational boundaries and progression through the life course for disabled people. The book contained specific chapters on birthrights and eugenics, childhood, youth transitions, interdependence and adulthood, old age and death and dying.
Source: Mark Priestley, Disability: A Life Course Approach, Polity, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Aug
A paper analysed the economic disadvantages experienced by disabled persons of working age, using data from the British Household Panel Survey. It said that there were three sources of disadvantage among disabled persons: pre-existing disadvantage among those who became disabled (a selection effect); the effect of disability onset itself; and the effects associated with remaining disabled post-onset.
Source: Stephen Jenkins and John Rigg, Disability and Disadvantage: Selection, onset and duration effects, Working Paper 2003-18, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Working paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Aug
Research found that accuracy in the portrayal of disability by television was extremely important to disabled viewers; that the provision of aspiring role models for young disabled people was vital; and that barriers to acceptance existed for some non-disabled viewers - but 79 per cent of people surveyed said they would not mind if a disabled person read the main evening news bulletin.
Source: Jane Sancho, Disabling Prejudice: Attitudes towards disability and its portrayal on television, Broadcasting Standards Commission (020 7808 1000), British Broadcasting Corporation, and Independent Television Commission
Links: Report (pdf) | BBC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland completed its first review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and made over 30 recommendations for change.
Source: Enabled? Review of the Disability Discrimination Act in Northern Ireland, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (028 9050 0615)
Links: Report (Word file)
Date: 2003-Jun
A survey report provided details of the experiences of disabled people in their day-to-day lives, and of the level of awareness (among both disabled and non-disabled people) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. In 2001, 62 per cent of people were aware of the Act compared with 42 per cent in 1996.
Source: Olga Evans and Deborah Lader, ONS Omnibus Survey: Disability and the Disability Discrimination Act, In-house Report 114, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-May
An official advisory body made a series of recommendations for changes to anti-discrimination law affecting disabled people. It called for urgent legislation to cover people with progressive conditions, so that such people were protected from the point at which they were diagnosed, rather than at the point when their symptoms made it difficult for them to carry out daily activities. It also said that people with mental illness were not afforded the same legal protection against discrimination as other disabled groups.
Source: Disability Equality: Making it Happen - First review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622 633)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (Word file) | Press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-May
A new book reported on a study of parenting, disability and mental health, which examined the views of parents and children in 75 families. It concluded that the key policy focus should be on reducing barriers that obstruct disabled people from carrying out their parental role; that when professionals become involved, their intervention should be based on promoting independence, and on supporting people in their desire to maintain family relationships; and that more work needed to be done to make direct payments available to disabled parents, and to properly evaluate their impact.
Source: Richard Olsen and Harriet Clarke, Parenting and Disability: Disabled parents' experiences of raising children, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Apr
New regulations came into force on 14 April 2003 defining blind or partially sighted people as disabled for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Source: The Disability Discrimination (Blind and Partially Sighted Persons) Regulations 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003/712, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Statutory Instrument | DWP press release
Date: 2003-Apr
A new book provided an overview of key policy and legislative developments in relation to disabled people. It examined the ways in which public bodies can use the provisions of the Human Rights Act to develop better practice.
Source: Luke Clements and Janet Read, Disabled People and European Human Rights: Review of the implications of the 1998 Human Rights Act for disabled children and adults in the UK, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Mar
The government announced that it recognises British sign language as a language in its own right.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 18.3.03, column 41WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | DWP press release
Date: 2003-Mar
The Disability Rights Commission (an official advisory body) reportedly criticised the idea of a single equality body responsible for countering all types of discrimination.
Source: The Guardian, 21.2.03
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2003-Feb
Analysis of the 2001 Census results for England and Wales showed that almost 9.5 million people (18.2 per cent) said they had a long-term illness, health problem or disability which limited their daily activities or the work they could do. Of these, 4.3 million were of working age, more than 1 in 8 of the age group.
Source: Press release 13.2.03, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Census website | Press release (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
Statistics on the health of people in England in 2001 were published. A survey interviewed over 15,600 adults and nearly 4,000 children in private households The proportion of adults eating five or more fruit and vegetable portions a day increased steeply as household income increased. The proportion consuming five or more portions a day was lowest among those aged 16-24, and increased with age to a peak among those aged 55-64. 18 per cent of men and women aged 16 or over reported having one or more of five types of disability: 5 per cent of adults had a serious disability.
Source: Madhavi Bajekal, Paola Primatesta and Gillian Prior (eds.), Health Survey for England 2001, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 12.4
Date: 2003-Jan
The government announced its intention to publish a draft disability Bill later in 2003. It said the Bill would contain changes to the law affecting the public sector, transport and premises, together with some widening of the definition of disability. It would also seek to cover membership of larger private clubs.
Source: Press release 22.1.03, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 22.1.03, columns 12-13WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Press release | Hansard | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jan
A national disabled people's parliament is to be established (funded by the European Union and the Department for Work and Pensions). It will have 180 elected members, reflecting both geographical and cultural diversity and a broad range of impairments.
Source: The Guardian, 22.1.03
Links: BCODP webpage | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jan