We have a robust legislative framework to respond to all forms of hate crime, including those which target a person’s disability.

Whilst the police are operationally independent and work in line with the College of Policing’s operational guidance to respond to hate crime, we expect them to fully investigate these offences and work with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

The Government is pleased to see the overall reduction in police-recorded hate crime in the year ending March 2023, including a 1% reduction in disability hate crime compared with the previous year. However, any instance is one too many and we remain absolutely committed to ensuring these offences are stamped out.

A person of restricted growth is not necessarily a disabled person. A disability hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice based on a person’s disability or perceived disability, or any disability including physical disability, learning disability and mental health or developmental disorders. This will be a question of fact in each case.

Our absolute priority is to get more police onto our streets, cut crime, protect the public and bring more criminals to justice. We are supporting the police by providing them with the resources they need. We delivered our commitment to recruit an additional 20,000 officers by March 2023 and there are now over 149,000 officers in England and Wales, which is higher than the previous peak in March 2010 before the Police Uplift Programme.

The Government is committed to improving life choices and opportunities for disabled people in their private lives, in their communities and in employment. We want everyone, including people of restricted growth, to live their lives free from discrimination and harassment.

The Equality Act 2010 may protect people of restricted growth on the grounds of disability, depending on the particular circumstances. The 2010 Act defines disability as “a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”. An employer or a service provider is required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not put at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people.

On 5 February 2024 we published the final Disability Action Plan together with the independent analysis of the consultation findings. The Disability Action Plan sets out 32 practical actions in 14 different areas which the government will take forward over the next 12 months, with disabled people, disabled people’s organisations, and other government departments and public service providers, to improve disabled people’s daily lives, as well as laying the foundations for longer term change.

Any disabled person who may have been personally discriminated against in employment or provision of services because of a disability may contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS), the government helpline established to provide free bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination concerns. The EASS can be contacted via their website at www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/, or by telephone on 0808 8000082.

Data on cases of stunting in all children aged under five years old is not collected centrally.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is intended to act as a contribution towards the extra costs that arise as a result of a long-term health condition or disability.

Entitlement to PIP is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself.

We consulted extensively while developing the mobility component of the assessment, notably undertaking a second consultation exercise following feedback that the moving around activity was difficult to understand.

We carefully considered all the responses, including the suggestions for alternative approaches and the final consultation response was published on 21 October 2013.

The enhanced rate of the PIP Mobility component was always intended to be for those "unable" or "virtually unable" to walk and we believe the current assessment criteria are the best way of identifying those whose physical mobility is most limited.