Lord Rix: My Lords, last week I chaired the Learning Disability Coalition meeting discussing the Green Paper on adult social care. Will the Minister confirm that adult social care for those with a learning disability will receive the utmost consideration?
Lord Rix: My Lords, first, I must declare an interest as chancellor of the University of East London. The Government are in something of a bind over their higher education policy, caught between the commitment to widen participation and lifelong learning, the demands from the top table for the cash to compete with their US Ivy League cousins, and the pressing need to cut costs and keep the Student...
Lord Rix: asked Her Majesty's Government: When their investigation into the impact of reforms to the benefit system, employment support programmes and charging policies within adult social care, outlined in their independent living strategy, will begin.
Lord Rix: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will suspend the imminent closure of post offices pending the judicial review of their proposals.
Lord Rix: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that response. Are not the closures completely at odds with many of the Government's stated objectives of reducing social exclusion among old people, especially people with disabilities, who should of course be protected by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005? Furthermore, what about curbing carbon emissions? I should have thought that the buses that will...
Lord Rix: My Lords, I declare an interest as president of the Royal Mencap Society. After that declaration, I was expecting to congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley of Stoke, on holding the debate. Instead I am saddened by his absence. He is certainly a tireless campaigner on behalf of people with a disability, as is shown more recently by his efforts on the excellent independent living Bill. I am...
Lord Rix: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to review their policy on equivalent or lower qualifications.
Lord Rix: My Lords, is the Minister aware that many people with profound and multiple disabilities are avid sports watchers just like their non-disabled peers? Unfortunately, the disability toilets available at grounds are now not suitable for such disabled people. Will he therefore use his best endeavours to ensure that stadia will install for those disabled people toilets that include a changing...
Lord Rix: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether initiatives to tackle health inequalities will include schemes to address inequalities experienced by people with a learning disability.
Lord Rix: asked Her Majesty's Government: What actions the Department of Health will take to ensure that the experiences described in the Joint Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and Local Government Ombudsman report, Injustice in Residential Care, are not repeated.
Lord Rix: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 26 February (WA 113), whether the Department for Communities and Local Government will take action to assist the local electorate to exercise the "ultimate judgment on the behaviour of the council".
Lord Rix: My Lords, I, too, shall say a few words of thanks. Last week, the Minister, with support from others in the House, moved what I consider to be one of the most important amendments to any Bill addressing disability that has passed through this House in the last few years. I am most grateful to all who supported the amendment. I apologise for my absence—unfortunately, my temperature was...
Lord Rix: moved Amendment No. 48: After Clause 20, insert the following new Clause— "Statements: looked after children In section 324 of the Education Act 1996 (c. 56) (statement of special educational needs), after subsection (8) insert— "(8A) Where a statement specifies a school or type of school that would result in a child not being ordinarily resident with their parent, the child is to be a...
Lord Rix: I have retabled the amendment because of its crucial role in safeguarding and promoting the safety and well-being of disabled children living away from home. I am most grateful to the Minister for suggesting that it would be well worth my while to give this a repeat performance. I am also very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, and other noble Lords who have postponed their...
Lord Rix: Air miles!
Lord Rix: I am most grateful to the Minister. I know that to a certain extent we stage-managed the response tonight, but I did not hear it in full across a cup of half-consumed tea at the department last Wednesday. I am most grateful for the assurance that he has given. I wrote down here, "Need for frequent visits". The need for the frequency is slightly inconclusive, is it not? It is not definitive...
Lord Rix: Speaking from first-hand experience and as president of Mencap—and I know a great number of children with communication problems—I warmly support the amendment.
Lord Rix: I welcome the Government's recognition of the particular needs of disabled children and young people in new Section 22C(8)(d) in the amendment. However, I am concerned that without specific measures to promote the development of a range of local provision, disabled young people will continue to be routinely placed far from home in expensive placements. The provision that states that local...
Lord Rix: My Lords, can the Minister indicate where that might be the case?
Lord Rix: My Lords, I am saying that there would be tremendous losses of people retraining and the Minister is saying that he can prove otherwise. Is that so?