Harper slams Government for its 'wasted years'

Cathy Reay

Shadow minister for disabled people, Mark Harper (pictured) says that reports published by 11 secretaries of state show a government that is “letting down” disabled people.

The reports, published last month, highlight key government departments that have taken steps towards disability equality and pinpoint areas of policy that still need improving.

The reports are the first in a series of planned progress updates of the government’s aim of overall equality for disabled people by 2025.

Transport accessibility, more independent housing grants and a reduction in fuel poverty have all improved, according to the reports.

But the Office for Disability Issues’ annual report, Turning Equality into Reality, published in conjunction with the secretaries of state reports, states that between 2005 and 2008 the percentage of working-age disabled people who have never worked has increased from 7.8 to 8.4 per cent, broadly in line with non-disabled people. It adds that employment rates of disabled people have increased overall.

Speaking to Disability Now, Harper says the reports show a government that is “falling behind targets and letting down” disabled people.

He said of the reports: “With the prospect of a deep and long recession around the corner, it is interesting that they don’t mention the wasted years when real welfare reform could have helped many disabled people into work.”

Harper added that many issues still needed to be addressed.

“The UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities still hasn’t been ratified, child poverty which affects many disabled children is rising, the Blue Badge Reform Strategy means higher application charges for disabled motorists, and the national roll-out of the Individual Budgets programme is proceeding at a snail’s pace.”

But disabled Labour MP Anne Begg said: “It will take time for government sectors to realise all that they can do but they are becoming more aware of their obligations to disabled people. I hope that in three years’ time when the next reports are released, we can see real progress has been made.”

A government spokeswoman for the department for work and pensions said: “There has been considerable progress, such as the employment rate of disabled people, but more work needs to be done if we are to achieve our goal of equality by 2025.”

Among the proposals for further changes are eliminating bullying of disabled schoolchildren, developing a more universally inclusive sports system and reducing water costs for vulnerable groups.