People First Response to

Single Equality’s Bill

1 (a) We do not think it is a very good idea to have a single equality duty disability will get forgotten and this must not be allowed to happen under any circumstances. Disability has been taken seriously and is on the agenda for public authorities, with the disability equality duty as it is it is we do not take a back seat to all the other strands and for once we are not just add-on. Taking this away would just give public authorities an excuse to not think about disability as much as they need to new and must take more seriously in the future as there are more young disabled people coming through the education system especially people with learning difficulties.

1 (b) If it dose change then it should cover all public authority’s have teeth that bite and for example the leaders of public authority’s face charges prosecution when things go wrong.

1 (c) If you give advice on its own, public authorities like councils will ignore it, you must have tough informant mashers which can not be ignored because it would be financially and politically damaging to them they would take equality as seriously as they must, we do not think public authorities like councils will take equality seriously unless told to by central government.

1 (d) The devil is in the detail through the years authorities have said to disabled people that’s a good idea thanks for the advice and then done nothing with the advice given. Regional informant teams of all equality groups that report to Equality 2025 for example on how well there region is or is not doing and then this information would be made public like how well a local school is doing for example.

1 (e) The supporter must have the right politics if people with learning difficulties and other equality groups have real independent control over their lives. Information power People First have over 100 member groups and individuals across the UK but we were told we could only have ten books for all our members and I had to get the easy read version to respond to this consultation of the internet because we were sent the jargon version instead of the easy read we had asked for. My point is if your target is to meet the access and support needs of all equality groups you need to send enough information in easy read so they know you are cereous about knowing what they think.   

1f This would mean the public authority would obviously of for what us cheapest for them and want makes them look to be doing something. They could just concentrate on issues affecting the group with the biggest voice and historically it is no usually the disabled peoples voice that is the loudest.

1 g No
1h Yes as this makes them actually do something
1i If it does change then yes
1m Yes
1n They should be allowed to check as well, they should work in partnership
2a/b The disability equality duty has made a huge difference over how disabled people are treated by businesses. To take this away would mean that shops and businesses would again not 'need' to think about disability issues.

3c Better training and information
4b Yes obviously
4d no
I hope this response can still be considered.

Andrew Lee, Director

PEOPLE FIRST
Hampton House, 4th floor
20 Albert Embankment