The Government has published it’s response to the recommendations set out by the House of Lords Select Committee Report on The Equality Act 2010.
The report, which was published in December 2015, included recommendations around stadium accessibility and more specific guidance on reasonable adjustment for disabled people.
Below is a selection of relevant excerpts from the Government response to the Select Committee report:
Recommendation 19
Alongside the new Code, the Equality and Human Rights Commission should produce, in consultation with organisations of and representing disabled people, industry-specific guidance on reasonable adjustment. Where appropriate this should be done in partnership with relevant professional and regulatory bodies. Regular updates on case law developments will be essential to the effectiveness of these guides, and should be provided by the EHRC. (Paragraph 234)
Government response
This is a matter for the EHRC, which is independent of Government. We have brought this recommendation to the attention of the EHRC, and expect it will respond separately to the Committee. We note however that much guidance on reasonable adjustments already exist and that it may be more effective to promote existing guidance rather than introduce more.
Recommendation 21
We recommend that the Government include provisions similar to those of the Accessible Sports Grounds Bill in a Government Bill. (Paragraph 248)
Government response
We recognise the laudable intentions behind the Accessible Sports Grounds Bill in seeking to be a catalyst for action to ensure stadia are made accessible for disabled spectators; but the proposed mechanism within the Bill was flawed and while we did consider alternative legislative mechanisms during the Bill’s passage none could be found to achieve the desired outcome. We have no plans to introduce such a Government Bill as existing legislation in the form of the Equality Act remains untested on access to sports stadia for disabled people.
Recommendation 22
We recommend that ministers report regularly to Parliament on the progress made (a) by the Premier League and by the Football League, and (b) on comparable action by the operators of other large stadia. (Paragraph 249)
Government response
The Government’s Sports Strategy commits us to work with the football authorities to ensure that all clubs meet their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled spectators. We will submit a formal, annual report to Parliament setting out progress in implementing all the recommendations in the Strategy. This also includes the commitment to enable the Sports Grounds Safety Authority to take on a more formal role in helping sports grounds reach the required standards for accessibility.
Joyce Cook OBE, LPF Chair said: “We will look forward to reading the Premier League’s progress report which the Disabled People’s Minister promised to make public at the end of July. More than ever, we need reassurances that the Premier League clubs intend to meet their self-imposed deadline in delivering minimum accessibility standards at each PL stadium by August 2017.”
Read full Government response here
Related:
House of Lords Select Committee on the Equality Act 2010 and Disability report
Ministers highlight ‘inexcusable’ lack of disabled access
11.07.16