Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I warmly support the cogent arguments advanced by the noble Baroness, Lady Wilkins. I should like to reiterate what she said about the low expectations of parents who may be blind or partially sighted or dyslexic. That is hardly surprising, because they are excluded from a great deal of information in all other aspects of their lives. If they do not know that it exists, how can they...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I support the noble Baroness in her plea. She has been very eloquent. I hope that the Minister might think again about putting this matter into the code of practice.
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I thought that the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, was going to speak to his amendment that seeks to amend the schedule--
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I beg the noble Lord's pardon. I should like to give a very big welcome for these government amendments, which, as the noble Baroness said, will greatly strengthen parents' rights to express a preference for the school. I have to say that IPSEA (the Independent Panel for Special Education Advice), of which I am a member, says that this will make a great difference to a large number...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I am particularly delighted by this Bill because during the passage of the 1981 Act I sought to remove the caveats to what is now Section 316 of the 1996 Act and spent the entire passage of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in abortive attempts to include education. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Government on achieving that. Certain areas of concern remain, and I...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, will the Minister clarify one point? Are we talking about taxis that someone can use in their wheelchair in all cases, or about taxis that are adapted so that the seats swivel out, allowing people to transfer into them from their wheelchair?
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, does that mean that people have to be able to enter the taxi in their wheelchair?
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I support warmly Amendments Nos. 3 and 14, introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Swinfen, so clearly and comprehensively. As we now all know, these provisions would ensure that accessible taxis are available at stations for elderly and disabled passengers. I appreciate what the noble Lord, Lord Faulkner, says, but the agreements he talks about are all individual, are they not? It is...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: I support these amendments. In particular, I make a strong plea for the adoption of Amendment No. 286. As the noble Lord, Lord Swinfen, said, in effect if one refuses to carry an assistance dog one also refuses to carry the owner. Taxis will not be able to do that when the relevant part of the Disability Discrimination Act comes into force. I urge the noble Lord to have a big think about this...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I warmly support the amendments, particularly the amendment which seeks to remove the time restriction. I very much support the amendment which would publicise the eligibility criteria. There are problems. Many people do not know whether they are entitled. Some people miss out. If those people knew the criteria, they might find that they were able to make use of the concession.
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, before the Minister sits down, can he say whether the government amendment would cover my point about publicising the eligibility criteria to make sure they are known by anyone who might be able to apply?
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: That they should publicise the scheme well?
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: I support these amendments which the noble Lord, Lord Swinfen, has covered comprehensively. This business of not consulting non-users seems curious to me. If the intention is to improve the bus service and make buses suitable for more people, those who for one reason or another do not use the services at that moment should be consulted. That is particularly important in the case of disabled...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I support these amendments most warmly. The noble Lord, Lord Swinfen, has given an extremely comprehensive introduction. I am not sure that there is much that I can add. I agree with the noble Lord when he says that the provisions need to be on the face of the Bill. There has been much experience of well-meaning local authorities simply not knowing what are the needs of people with...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I went for breast screening at the age of 62 this summer. It was made very clear to me that I would be able to self-refer after that until the law that one will be called regularly comes into force. Does the noble Lord agree that it is a very good idea when one is screened for it to be made very clear that one can, and perhaps should, self-refer?
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: I warmly welcome the amendment. On 23rd May a similar amendment was introduced in another place by David Heath. Mr Michael Meacher said at col. 836 of the Official Report that he would consider it carefully and that the Government might make proposals at a later stage of the Bill's passage. I am delighted that the Government have listened, considered and responded so speedily and positively,...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: I can make an even briefer speech in support of the amendments. My name never did get on the amendment because I was too slow off the mark. I should like to support what both noble Lords have said on Amendments Nos. 275 and 284, particularly the part reinforced by the noble Lord, Lord Addington.
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: rose to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any response to Rehabilitation International's newly promulgated charter for disabled people world-wide. My Lords, last week, on 5th July, the Charter for the Third Millennium, which calls for the human rights of disabled people everywhere to be recognised and protected, was received by the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. It...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord, Lord Williams of Elvel, for asking this timely Question and I congratulate him on his clear and thoughtful exposition. It seems to me that a big problem is that the maximum penalty is so low. Does the Minister agree that raising the limit, which would give judges more discretion, more flexibility, may well go some way towards making the victims...
Baroness Darcy de Knayth: My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Rix, both on winning the ballot so that we can celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act and on the masterly and comprehensive portrayal that he has given of life for disabled people over the succeeding years. When the noble Lord, Lord Morris of Manchester, won the ballot in 1969, he could have taken the easy...