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Northern Ireland Office

Answer

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the reasons were for the delay in producing a strategy to implement the recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force in Northern Ireland; and when the strategy will be published. [101007] Mr. Browne: The former Northern Ireland Executive agreed the Promoting Social Inclusion (PSI) priorities and the Terms of Reference and membership for the Working Group which was tasked with developing the strategy on 31 May 2002. The Group met for the first time on 2 July 2002. The original Programme for Government target for the strategy was December 2002. Work on the draft strategy requires close cross-departmental input and agreement on how best to implement the actions flowing from the Executive's response to the Disability Rights Task Force recommendations. Active consideration of other non-legislative issues relating to access to information, services and equipment by people with disabilities has been carried out. This has been a particularly important aspect of the work as it links in with work on the European Year of People with Disabilities (EYPD) 2003 which is of high priority and will raise public awareness of issues affecting people with disabilities. It is currently planned to publish the strategy in summer 2003. However, the delay in publishing the strategy has not resulted in delay in progressing the actions to be included within it. Many of the legislative recommendations for example are currently the subject of consultation in draft Regulations.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

101007; 405 c192W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Disability Equality Northern Ireland Disability Rights Task Force

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk