Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the decision to abolish the post of Disability Commissioner in 2017 was taken outside of an Equality and Human Rights Commission board meeting; whether the standard procedure for the board to make decisions outside of board meetings was followed; what electronic or hard copy records exist of communications relating to (a) the possibility of abolishing and (b) the decision to abolish the post of Disability Commissioner in 2017 (i) from or to individual board members and (ii) by any employees of the Equality and Human Rights Commission; and if she will place a copy of those records in the Library.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent public body and decisions about the roles and responsibilities of its Board members, and how these are communicated within the organisation, are matters for the Commission itself. I have therefore asked the Commission’s Chief Executive Officer to write to the my hon. Friend with the information requested. I will place a copy of the letter in the libraries of both Houses.