Disability watchdog angry as legislation is dropped

The Government has angered its own disability watchdog, as well as Labour MPs and peers, by shelving legislation that would ban discrimination against the disabled.

The Disability Rights Commission (DRC), set up by Tony Blair to enforce existing laws, will accuse ministers of "betrayal" today after it emerged that tougher measures will not be in this year's Queen's Speech.

Lord Ashley of Stoke, a Labour peer and leading campaigner for the disabled, has also launched a savage attack on the Government's failure to bring forward a new law.

Labour's manifesto at the 2001 general election promised to extend basic rights for the disabled, and campaigners were told last year that legislation would be introduced to outlaw discrimination.

The proposed law to plug major gaps in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) of 1995 would have provided important new rights in transport and housing, where blatant forms of discrimination are still legal. It would also outlaw discrimination against the half a million people with long-term illnesses such as cancer or HIV.

But the Department for Work and Pensions has privately confirmed that it is unlikely that a Bill will be brought forward in the next parliamentary session. Some critics claim ministers prefer non-legislative measures to "encourage" employers to hire more people with disability.

The DRC was recently praised by ministers for the 145,000 calls and 4,500 cases about disabled rights it has handled in the past two years.

But Bert Massie, chairman of the DRC, has now written to the Prime Minister to express his fears that Government has abandoned its earlier promises. "Disabled people will fear this is a betrayal of their rights, leaving them open to the most blatant forms of discrimination without redress," he told The Independent. "Raising awareness and spreading good practice will not work unless underpinned by the force of law.

"The DRC has to turn away disabled people if the law cannot help them. The Government has acknowledged the gaps in the DDA and there is cross-party consensus on the need for change. These unfulfilled promises will leave disabled people feeling even more frustrated and excluded."

Lord Ashley said: "The Government's record is not good enough, given that vast numbers of disabled people suffer discrimination every day of their lives. That can only be stopped by comprehensive legislation."

In its 2001 manifesto, the Government reaffirmed its earlier pledge to legislate on housing, transport and other areas as well as introduce a duty on public bodies to pursue disability equality. It would have extended protection from discrimination to more than half a million people with conditions such as cancer and HIV, including in employment.

The Government set up a Disability Rights Task Force which reported in December 1999. The Task Force was a highly authoritative body, made up of representatives of business, public and voluntary sectors and chaired by the then Minister for Disabled People, Alan Howarth. In its response to the task force, the Government agreed to legislate on the great bulk of areas.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham made clear the Government's stance last week when she said she was "not yet persuaded" that primary legislation on housing was the way forward. She said the DRC's work should not be lost "through rapid legislative change".