Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she plans to take to encourage businesses to improve (a) facilities and (b) access for people with disabilities.

The Government is committed to improving life choices and opportunities for disabled people in their private lives, in their communities and in employment. We want everyone to live their lives free from discrimination and harassment, including disabled people.

The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) protects people from being discriminated against or harassed because of a disability in the provision of services. The Act also requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises/buildings, provide auxiliary aids and services (such as providing information in an accessible format, provide induction loop for customers with hearing aids, special computer software or additional staff support when required), and allowing access to guide or assistance dogs, so that disabled customers have the same right to goods and services and are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled customers.

This reasonable adjustment duty is an anticipatory duty. This means that those who provide goods, facilities and services to members of the public are expected to anticipate the reasonable adjustments that disabled customers may require.

The Government is delivering for disabled people - recently we have supported the passage of two landmark pieces of legislation, the British Sign Language Act and the Down Syndrome Act. The Minister for Disabled People also announced on 2 December 2022 that a new Disability Action Plan will be consulted on and published in 2023. The Plan will set out the action the government will take in 2023/2024 to improve disabled people’s lives.