Creating a fairer Britain
On 3 December 2009, International Day of Disabled People, the Commission announced its intention to conduct a formal Inquiry into the actions of public authorities to eliminate disability-related harassment and its causes.
The Commission's Inquiry powers enable us to compile evidence, call witnesses and make recommendations against which we expect action to follow. The Equality Act stipulates that we have to have terms of reference for formal Inquiries.
The terms of reference tell us what the Inquiry is allowed to hear evidence about so it is important we get them right. We consulted with disabled people and other stakeholders on the terms of reference for the Inquiry and, following an analysis of the responses, published the final terms of reference online.
You can read the latest updates on the Inquiry by following the links below:
On the 17 January we held a consultation event with disabled people’s organisations and public sector representatives to discuss putting the Inquiry’s recommendations into practice.
Discussion focussed on developing a disabled people’s toolkit, the opportunities and challenges surrounding multi-agency working and the attitudinal/societal shift critical to improving responses to disability-related harassment.
Key points from the consultation will inform our continuing work on the manifesto for change.
To tell us what you think about the recommendations in the report, please email us at: communications@equalityhumanrights.com by 29 February 2012.
Drawing on recommendations from the inquiry's final report: ‘Hidden in plain sight’, the Commission worked on an amendment to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill with Kate Green MP, shadow equalities minister, and supported by Paul Maynard MP (Con), relating to sentencing guidelines.
In the final report of the Disability Harassment Inquiry: ‘Hidden in plain sight’ we recommended changes to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to equalise sentencing for murder aggravated by disability, with murder aggravated by the other protected characteristics of race, religion and sexual orientation.
The amendment was debated at report stage in the Commons on 1 November. The Lord Chancellor, Kenneth Clarke MP, announced that the government agreed with Ms Green’s position and that it will table amendments in the Lords to give effect to the proposal.
Following the launch of the final report of our inquiry into disability-related harassment: Hidden in plain sight, we have begun to engage with public authorities about the inquiry’s recommendations.
Over the next six months we will consult widely with stakeholders from the criminal justice, education, health and social care, housing, local government and housing sectors on whether the recommendations are the right ones and how they can be best embedded into the way that organisations work. In the spring of 2012 we will then publish our manifesto for change, the commitments others have made, the outcomes we expect to see over the next five years, and how we propose to evaluate and regulate the outcomes.
We would like to thank those individuals who have supported us throughout the course of this formal Inquiry and welcome your feedback on the report. You can email your comments/views to: communications@equalityhumanrights.com or you can share the report and your views on Twitter using the hashtag #disbelief.