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Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Code of Practice)

I have today laid a draft code of practice prepared by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), before Parliament in accordance with the procedure set out in section 53A(4) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This draft code will replace the existing code of practice on ““Rights of Access: Goods, Facilities, Services and Premises””, published in May 2002. During the passage of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005, the Government said that the DRC would be issuing guidance to assist in the implementation of the new duties. The Government believe that clear and accessible advice and guidance for those with rights and responsibilities under the DDA is important. The Government therefore warmly welcome the draft revised code which provides clear advice and guidance for those with obligations under part 3 of the Act on how to avoid acts of disability discrimination, and to landlords and tenants on how to deal with requests by tenants for consent to make disability-related alterations to their homes to improve access for disabled people. The draft revised code takes account of new duties in part 3 and part 5B of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, inserted by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005; and new duties introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. The new duties mainly come into force from 4 December 2006. They affect public authorities in the carrying out of their functions (other than those functions which are services and already covered by the DDA); private members clubs; and landlords and managers of rented premises in relation to reasonable adjustments and disability-related alterations to let residential premises. In preparing this code the DRC has consulted extensively among disabled people, their organisations, landlords and the wider public. Subject to Parliament's approval of the draft code, the DRC proposes to issue and publish the revised code later this summer, giving those with responsibilities under the Act adequate time to read it before the new duties come into force. The Secretary of State will then provide for the new code to come into force on 4 December 2006, replacing the existing code from that date.