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Proceeding contribution from Jonathan Shaw (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 23 March 2010. It occurred during Adjournment debate on Disability Policy (Economic Downturn).


Disability Policy (Economic Downturn)

Indeed. As my right hon. Friend will know, the "Valuing People" document highlighted the fact that there was great inconsistency. As in many public services, there are shining examples of what is best, and we all want to see them across the piece. A woman with learning disabilities is entitled to receive the same public health treatment—the same screening for breast cancer or cervical cancer—as anyone else. A number of charities and organisations for people with learning disabilities have developed Easy Read so that such people can properly understand their health needs and the various processes and procedures that they need to go through to live a healthy life. I was recently in Rochdale, where I was shown an Easy Read booklet about a whole range of matters that had been published for people with learning disabilities. However, we must continue to keep that under review. Before I conclude, I should say that although my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, North-West (John Robertson), who is sitting behind me, cannot contribute to the debate because he is my Parliamentary Private Secretary, we all acknowledge that he has made a huge contribution to work on disabled people's issues in his time in the House. Indeed, shortly after the debate, I will be speaking on Insight Radio, which is based in his constituency and run by the Royal National Institute of Blind People. In Committee and on Report, my hon. Friend laid an amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill to ensure that a higher rate of disability living allowance is paid to 20,000 blind people, which will assist them enormously. The RNIB ran a great campaign, and I am delighted that there was cross-party support for it.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
508 c21-2WH 
Session
2009-10
Chamber / Committee
Westminster Hall
Subjects
Disability Carers Direct payments Employment Health services Discrimination Learning disability Paralympic Games 2012 Personal budgets
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk