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Home / Commons debate on disability rights will highlight injustice

Commons debate on disability rights will highlight injustice

By staff writers
October 12, 2017

Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deidre Brock has secured an adjournment debate on disability rights at Westminster on Thursday 12 October 2017, following condemnation of the impact of UK government policies by the United Nations.

The recent report of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), assessing in detail the UK Government’s record to date, concluded that the effect of so-called welfare reform and cuts amounted to "a human catastrophe" for disabled people.

The government has dismissed the report and the detailed evidence it contains so far. But campaign groups and politicians across the opposition parties have continued to press hard for action and a radical change of policy.

SNP MP Deidre Brock will today demand urgent action from the UK government to accept liability and tackle their ‘shameful’ failures on disabled rights.

She said: “That a rich nation like this neglects its international obligations on disability rights is utterly appalling.

“The UK Government’s record on disability rights should shame any government – but not this one it seems. Their obsession with austerity is impoverishing people, stripping away their rights and their ability to live full, dignified and independent lives.

“It's policy choices to pull support that makes people more vulnerable and more isolated, it’s not the normal state of affairs. Society is disabling people and it has to change.

“There is no sign of it ending yet though.  Two of the three disability premiums that were in Employment Support Allowance are missing from Universal Credit so severely disabled people will lose £78.35 per week from their income – that’s about £340 per month.  Research done by the Citizens Advice Bureau in East Lothian showed that disabled recipients of Universal Credit will lose up to one fifth of their income.

“The UK Government must now commit to getting round the table with disabled organisations. They must act to tackle their failures and to build the fair society that they seem intent on destroying.”

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