Baby-changing Facilities

Debate between Earl of Minto and Lord Shinkwin

Tuesday 6th June 2023 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Minto (Con)]

My Lords, that is again a very good point. There is a requirement at the moment to separate disabled toilet facilities from baby-changing facilities, and I think that is probably the right thing to do. This morning, I met the chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, and she said that her members take every opportunity to put in baby-changing facilities for precisely the reasons that the noble Lord mentioned earlier: from a marketing point of view, it is absolutely the right thing to do, because you win more customers and more money.

[Lord Shinkwin (Con)]

My Lords, my noble friend the Minister helpfully makes a point about the separation between baby-changing facilities and accessible toilets. Does he accept that that depends on whether the building itself is accessible to someone like myself, a wheelchair user? Could he write to me to tell me how long he thinks I should have to wait, as a wheelchair user, before I can by law access licensed premises, given that the Government are refusing to use the Licensing Act, as recommended by a committee of this House, to enforce access on licensed premises?

[The Earl of Minto (Con)]

My Lords, my noble friend makes a very good point. One of the challenges is that a lot of pubs are in historic buildings and are listed. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to get through the planning laws so that doorways and steps can be taken out to give free access. I say again that every opportunity is taken to provide disabled access.