Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy published 28 July 2021, what steps his Department has taken to date towards considering how it can best support those standing for public office and those who hold public office.
Answered by Michael Ellis
It is the Government’s ambition to see more disabled people in public office.
Officials in the Cabinet Office Disability Unit continue to work with colleagues at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DHLUC) on this issue. DHLUC is developing a new scheme to support those seeking to become candidates and to support those who have been elected to public office. That work is a part of the 2022/23 local government improvement work which will be launched from April this year.
Officials are also speaking to the National Association of Local Councils and the Local Government Association about enhancing support and guidance for disabled councillors.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published 28 July 2021, what recent steps his Department has taken to identify and seek collaborative ways to co-create communications and continue sharing accessible formats.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Following the publication of the National Disability Strategy, the Cabinet Office has continued to issue internal guidance on accessibility to government departments reiterating their duties under the Equality Act 2010. This is to ensure that communications are accessible using appropriate and inclusive formats.
The Cabinet Office has continued to liaise with departments to encourage and support the development of accessible content - most recently to mark the International Day of People with Disabilities.
The Cabinet Office also created a disability communications stakeholder working group in 2020 and regularly engages with that group to improve new messages.
GOV.UK ran an audit in 2020 to identify and improve content and navigational issues. Following the audit, GOV.UK has updated publishing tools and guidance, and worked with departments to ensure their content adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, what steps the Central Digital and Data Office took towards the continuation of its programme to make online public services accessible.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Since the publication of the National Disability Strategy last July, the Government’s Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) has also published the outcome of its monitoring of the UK’s public sector websites and mobile applications. This can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accessibility-monitoring-of-public-sector-websites-and-mobile-apps-2020-2021/accessibility-monitoring-of-public-sector-websites-and-mobile-apps-2020-2021.
The report also explains CDDO’s ongoing work to implement the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (“accessibility regulations''). This includes publication of guidance on how users can report accessibility issues with a public sector website or mobile app and guidance on how to make mobile apps accessible. CDDO will continue to monitor public sector websites and mobile applications throughout 2022.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of challenging the Katherine Rowley vs the Cabinet Office judicial review, Claim No: CO/_4740/2020.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are unable to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that the proposed public inquiry into the covid-19 outbreak includes an assessment of the effect of the outbreak on disabled people.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Throughout the pandemic, we have been guided by data and scientific advice and have acted quickly and decisively to save lives and livelihoods.
Every death from this virus is a tragedy and our sympathies are with everyone who has lost loved ones.
On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed to this House that a public inquiry into COVID-19 would be established on a statutory basis, with full formal powers, and that it will begin its work in spring 2022.
Further details, including terms of reference, will be set out in due course.
Throughout the pandemic, senior ministers, including the Prime Minister, have met and will continue to meet with bereaved families.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what data his Department holds on voter turnout levels among disabled people.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government is committed to ensuring that elections are accessible for all those eligible to vote and is actively working to improve the electoral process for voters with disabilities.
The Government intends to introduce legislation to improve the support provided to disabled voters at polling stations, and to allow a wider range of people to act as a companion to support disabled voters at the polling station.
The Cabinet Office has led work to make electoral registration more accessible to people with disabilities. This work, coordinated through the Cabinet Office’s Accessibility of Elections Working Group, includes providing accessible information on registering to vote and voting; including easy read guides which sit on the Register to Vote Website, and provides support on the online application process.
There will be an estimated £92 million of government funding that will be provided to Returning Officers and local authorities for the elections; of this, £31 million is an uplift to directly address costs associated with making the elections COVID-secure. This funding will support Returning Officers to deliver the polls and ensure that all eligible electors are able to vote in a way of their choosing, either in person, by proxy or by post. We encourage those wishing to use a postal vote to apply early.
The Government does not collect data on the protected characteristics of voters.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding his Department has provided to local authorities specifically to ensure upcoming elections are accessible in the context of covid-19 restrictions.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government is committed to ensuring that elections are accessible for all those eligible to vote and is actively working to improve the electoral process for voters with disabilities.
The Government intends to introduce legislation to improve the support provided to disabled voters at polling stations, and to allow a wider range of people to act as a companion to support disabled voters at the polling station.
The Cabinet Office has led work to make electoral registration more accessible to people with disabilities. This work, coordinated through the Cabinet Office’s Accessibility of Elections Working Group, includes providing accessible information on registering to vote and voting; including easy read guides which sit on the Register to Vote Website, and provides support on the online application process.
There will be an estimated £92 million of government funding that will be provided to Returning Officers and local authorities for the elections; of this, £31 million is an uplift to directly address costs associated with making the elections COVID-secure. This funding will support Returning Officers to deliver the polls and ensure that all eligible electors are able to vote in a way of their choosing, either in person, by proxy or by post. We encourage those wishing to use a postal vote to apply early.
The Government does not collect data on the protected characteristics of voters.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to improve electoral registration levels among disabled people.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government is committed to ensuring that elections are accessible for all those eligible to vote and is actively working to improve the electoral process for voters with disabilities.
The Government intends to introduce legislation to improve the support provided to disabled voters at polling stations, and to allow a wider range of people to act as a companion to support disabled voters at the polling station.
The Cabinet Office has led work to make electoral registration more accessible to people with disabilities. This work, coordinated through the Cabinet Office’s Accessibility of Elections Working Group, includes providing accessible information on registering to vote and voting; including easy read guides which sit on the Register to Vote Website, and provides support on the online application process.
There will be an estimated £92 million of government funding that will be provided to Returning Officers and local authorities for the elections; of this, £31 million is an uplift to directly address costs associated with making the elections COVID-secure. This funding will support Returning Officers to deliver the polls and ensure that all eligible electors are able to vote in a way of their choosing, either in person, by proxy or by post. We encourage those wishing to use a postal vote to apply early.
The Government does not collect data on the protected characteristics of voters.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department has taken to ensure voting is accessible for disabled people, including the accessibility of (a) polling stations and (b) forms.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government is committed to ensuring that elections are accessible for all those eligible to vote and is actively working to improve the electoral process for voters with disabilities.
The Government intends to introduce legislation to improve the support provided to disabled voters at polling stations, and to allow a wider range of people to act as a companion to support disabled voters at the polling station.
The Cabinet Office has led work to make electoral registration more accessible to people with disabilities. This work, coordinated through the Cabinet Office’s Accessibility of Elections Working Group, includes providing accessible information on registering to vote and voting; including easy read guides which sit on the Register to Vote Website, and provides support on the online application process.
There will be an estimated £92 million of government funding that will be provided to Returning Officers and local authorities for the elections; of this, £31 million is an uplift to directly address costs associated with making the elections COVID-secure. This funding will support Returning Officers to deliver the polls and ensure that all eligible electors are able to vote in a way of their choosing, either in person, by proxy or by post. We encourage those wishing to use a postal vote to apply early.
The Government does not collect data on the protected characteristics of voters.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department holds data on the number of disabled people who are registered to vote.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information requested is not held.