There was a further debate in the House of Lords on the Select Committee enquiry – Equality Act and Disability on 6th September 2016.
This followed the Government response to the Select Committee Report on the Equality Act 2010: The impact on disabled people, published in July 2016.
During the debate accessibility of sports stadia was a central theme, with Baroness Deech calling for the Government ‘to take up the Accessible Sports Grounds Bill, promoted by the noble Lord Faulkner’.
Baroness Brinton commented how ‘it is easy for Government to make guidance on sports stadia compulsory’ and referenced the findings made by Trailblazers published on the same day, saying that ‘evidence from young sports fans… shows access to sports stadia is a real problem’
Lord Faulkner spoke at length on the topic of access to sports stadia and said that with 7 Premier League clubs set to miss the August 2017 pledge to bring their stadia up to minimum standards, ‘the range of excuses… are frankly unacceptable’ and that ‘the time has surely come for this action to be taken and in a much more drastic way’.
He concluded by saying that the Equality Act 2010 ‘has not succeeded in giving disabled sports fans the access to stadia that they are entitled’. He further proposed the Government should consider changing the law to allow charities and other bodies to take action against clubs on behalf of other people’.
You can read the full Hansard transcript of the debate here, or watch the video below (from 16:22 onwards).
Related:
Equality Act 2010 and Disability Select Committee – 15.12.15
House of Lords Select Committee on the Equality Act 2010 and Disability report
6.9.16