27 February 2006 - Disabled people given key role in Government policy making
Disabled people will have the chance to work directly with the Government as part of a new Advisory Group set up to help establish a national forum representing the interests of disabled people in policy and services.
A group of 12 people with direct experience of the issues facing disabled people have been appointed to an Advisory Group that will engage directly with the Government. They will make recommendations over the next six months, helping to set up a national forum for disabled people.
Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People gave a key note speech at the Group’s first meeting on 27 and 28 February. Welcoming the Advisory Group, Ms McGuire said:
“A national forum for disabled people demonstrates the Government’s commitment to engaging directly in meaningful dialogue with disabled people. This will ensure that the needs of disabled people are not forgotten. I look forward to working with the Advisory Group, which will ensure that disabled people are included in the creation of the forum from the start.”
To reflect the close relationship between the Group and the Government, the Advisory Group will have two Chairs, Alun Davies, member of the Advisory Group and Bruce Calderwood, Director of the Office for Disability Issues, who will have a non-executive role.
Bruce Calderwood, who is keen for groups of disabled people to be heard, commented:
"The Government is committed to ensuring real equality for disabled people. This can only happen if there's genuine engagement and dialogue with disabled people. That's what the Forum is about. A key priority for me is ensuring it gives a voice to groups of disabled people who might otherwise struggle to be heard."
The creation of a national forum for disabled people was a key recommendation from the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit report ‘Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People.
The aim of the forum will be to ensure that disabled people have a direct channel of communication to the heart of the Government, enabling them to influence the development of policies and service delivery that affects all aspects of their lives.
Alun Davies, member of the Advisory Group, said:
“The Government’s commitment to involving and consulting with disabled people is a very important message for disabled people to hear. As a disabled person who has been involved for many years in trying to make organisations listen to disabled people I welcome this opportunity to get involved with the development of the forum.”
The work of the Advisory Group should be completed by autumn 2006 and it is hoped that the forum will be established by the end of 2006. Regular updates of the Advisory Group’s progress will be posted on the Office for Disability Issues website and a report will be published at the end of the work.
Notes to Editors
- The Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit published their report ‘Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People’ in January 2005. The report sets out the Government’s vision for disabled people ‘By 2020, disabled people in Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life and will be respected and included as equal member of society’. It includes some sixty recommendations for improving disabled people’s lives.
- A key recommendation of the Life Chances report was the establishment of a National Forum for Organisations of Disabled People to create an effective channel of communication between disabled people and Government.
- There was an overwhelming level of interest for the posts. All members of the Advisory Group are disabled people. Following an in-depth recruitment process to appoint the members of the group, the following people have agreed to take on this important role; Haqeeq Bostan, Alun Davies, James Elder-Woodward, Rachel Hurst, Paul Gemmill, Kirsten Hearn, Rowen Jade, Andrew Lee, Reg McLaughlin, Penny Melville-Brown, Diane Mulligan, Richard Rieser.
- Alun Davies works for North Somerset District Council as an Adult Care Planning Manager in Adult Social Services and Housing. He studied Social Work and Social Administration at university and has worked as a social worker with disabled children, as well as working for disabled peoples’ organisations. He lives with his partner, her son and their daughter all of whom are disabled people.
- The establishment of an Office for Disability Issues (ODI) was another key recommendation in the Life Chances report. The ODI was launched on 1 December 2005 and will provide a cross-government focus on disability issues. The work of the ODI will include challenging Government from within and changing the way in which it engages with disabled people. It also manages the disability aspect of the DirectGov website. The ODI is a cross-government unit and will support a Ministerial steering group composed of representatives from the 6 key departments: Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Department for Transport and the Department of Trade and Industry.
- The ODI website address is www.officefordisability.gov.uk
- A full copy of the Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People report is on the Strategy Unit’s website: http://www.strategy.gov.uk/work_areas/disability/
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