SDEF Newsletter No.4 -�April 2002

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Welcome to this fourth edition of SDEF News, available free to all members and associate members of SDEF.� We will keep you up to date on our own activities and relevant events and publications in the field of disability.� If you would like your work publicised in future editions, or would like to tell us about something new, please contact us at the address below.

This newsletter is available by email, on disc or in other formats if preferred.� Please contact us to let us know how you would like to receive it.

Forum Update

The Forum has now come to the end of its second six-month tranche of development funding from the Scottish Executive.� Representatives of the management committee met with Executive officials recently to discuss the way forward.� They met Sally Witcher, an independent consultant who has been contracted by the Equality Unit to progress work with the disability movement.

We agreed that the European Year of Disabled People 2003 was a useful focus for future work.� In the short term, further funding will be available to SDEF to carry on developing our programme of work.� The committee is also actively seeking funds from other sources for our key projects identified by members: working with access panels, working for accessible tourism, and providing IT services for disability groups.

We also had a very successful members’ meeting in Perth earlier this month.� A full report of the day is included with this mailing and also available on our website.

Date for your diary

The SDEF AGM date has been set for Wednesday 2^nd October.� We are looking for your help - can you suggest a suitable accessible venue which could accommodate up to 60 people (not too expensive)?� It should be accessible by public transport and by car, from all over Scotland, with ample parking nearby.�

The theme of the day will focus on Rights - how to protect the ones we have, and how to extend our legal rights further.� Any ideas you have of speakers or workshop subjects would be very welcome.

We will get back to you with further details about the day nearer the time.

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Scottish Parliament News

Cross Party Group on Disability Meeting Wednesday 24th April 2002

A Summary of discussions from Agnes Stewart, Secretary, SDEF

Michael Matheson, MSP, Convener of the Cross Party Group, welcomed everybody to the Meeting and introduced the Speakers:

John H. Robertson MSP - onvener of the Holyrood Project Group

Linda Fabiani MSP - Member� of the Holyrood Project Group

Margaret Hickish - Access Consultant, Buro Happold

John Glen - Project Officer

In his opening remarks, John Robertson told us of his commitment to disability issues since 1981, when he was a MP.� His aim is to see maximum accessibility for people with a disability.� He mentioned a concern which had arisen over the past week, affecting the seating in the Chamber� -� a drop from 81 accessible seat positions,�
to 61.

Margaret Hickish was then asked to give a presentation as Consultant on Access and talked us through the work of the Consultation Group�since its formation in 1999.����� Having been on the Consultation Group, I found it a very informative presentation which should have left no-one in any doubt as to the work done by the Group.���� She illustrated her talk with the aid of a lap-top.���� Although the Consultation Group has not met fully for some time, the work is on-going.���� She stressed �'access'� was not only about 'ramps and toilets', it was about 'exemplary access'.��� At the moment, appropriate places for signage were being discussed.

Every aspect of the work of the�Access Group has been documented so that there is a record of all the work undertaken.

Buro Happold had given an undertaking from the outset that the Parliament Buildings will be a model of excellence for access.

A question was raised on Signers and assurances given that�there would be consultation before any decisions were made.���� Positions for Signers could not be established until it had been decided where officers will be positioned, e.g. The Presiding Officer.

Margaret is about to tackle the matter of the bollards�which had been one metre high but are now being shown as 1/2 metre high.���� It is issues regarding the Chamber which are being dealt with at present�e.g. the platform lift at the Presiding Officer's position.

At this point, Michael Matheson expressed his disappointment to hear�of the drop in the number of accessible�places.���� This had been a confidential matter over the past week.��

Linda Fabiani stated that the first two rows and the fourth would be available.���� Both she and John Robertson could foresee difficulties with this arrangement and had expressed their great concern and intimated that the decisions regarding wheelchair positions had been established in 1999 and that this previous decision should not be changed.

The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, whose Convener is Sir David Steel, had made the change without any recourse to anybody.���� There is no information available on why they have made this decision.���� It was estimated that only 20 inches of space would be gained and the MSPs considered that to make these changes would cost more.

Michael Matheson then asked�the members of the Cross Party Group if we would wish him to write to the Corporate Body.���� He will ask the Corporate Body to go back to the original remit of 1999.

Michael Matheson�asked us to take these concerns back to our groups�and to write to Sir David Steel, as Convener of the Corporate Body.

The following motions were put to the Scottish Parliament on the issue:

*S1M-3031 Linda Fabiani: Reduction in Wheelchair Accessible Seats in New Parliament Chamber-That the Parliament regrets that the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, whilst noting the dissent of the Holyrood Progress Group, has instructed that the Chamber design in the new Parliament building be altered from that circulated to all members and agreed in September 1999, with the result that the choice of accessible Chamber seats for any member using a standard wheelchair is reduced from 81 to 61.

Supported by: Mr John Home Robertson*

*S1M-3031.1 Michael Matheson: Reduction in Wheelchair Accessible Seats in New Parliament Chamber-As an amendment to motion (S1M-3031) in the name of Linda Fabiani, insert at end "and calls upon the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to reconsider its decision and return to the plan agreed in September 1999 which provided 81 wheelchair accessible seats within the chamber."

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Scottish Executive News

For copies of these publications or consultations, check the websites below or contact the Secretariat.�

Equality In Scotland: Guide To Data Sources 2002 (08/03/02):

Review Of Care Management In Scotland (08/03/02):

Research Findings: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/hcc21-00.asp

Over The Threshold? An Exploration Of Intensive Domiciliary Support For

Research Findings: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/hcc19-00.asp

Disability Strategies Bill Passed (28/03/02):

All schools will have to draw up plans to deal with pupils with

Extra funding for hearing impaired
Extra �750,000 given to NHS boards to speed up treatment for patients with hearing problems.

The Scottish Translation, Interpreting and Communication Forum:

Building Regulation Note 1/2002

Tourism Framework For Action 2002:2005

Improving Building Standards: Proposals - A Consultation Paper

This paper sets out the Executive’s proposals for the future of building standards.� The proposals are very similar to those in the previous consultation Improving Building Standards, from which it has been developed.� Some proposals have been changed in response to the previous consultation. These are, most notably,

• ���� removal of the proposal that an owner may start work before a warrant is granted

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• ���� surveys undertaken by the verifier or local authority need not require notification and may be disruptive as well as non-disruptive where circumstances warrant

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• ���� extension of the role of the national body to require it to audit and police the approved certifiers of design and installation.

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The purpose of this paper is to set out the Executive’s proposals as they would appear in primary legislation.� Views on these core proposals can be submitted by completing an electronic proforma, obtainable from bc/[email protected] with the words ‘Request Proforma’ in the subject heading box.� Otherwise please send your comments by Friday 14 June 2002 to:

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Elaine Douse
Building Standards Division
Scottish Executive
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ

0131 244 1425

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UK News

Commons Committee Looks at Benefits (by Ron Skinner)

Some of the most disadvantaged people in society are missing out on disability benefits because of delays and mistakes in medical assessments, MPs have discovered.

The Commons Public Accounts Committee found that applicants for disability living allowance and incapacity benefit, which are awarded on the basis of medical assessments, frequently wait too long for decisions.

Since 1998, assessments have been carried out by private firm Sema. The committee said the delays were caused by a shortage of doctors, poor management systems and outdated technology.

These backlogs, and the delays in stopping payments to claimants no longer entitled to them, are costing the taxpayer �40m a year.

MPs have recommended that other health professionals besides doctors are used to carry out assessments. This is an important way of offsetting shortages of doctors, speeding up the assessment process and reducing costs, they said.

Difficulties in obtaining accurate and up-to-date medical information about claimants have also led to a high level of appeals: over 50% of those turned down for benefits subsequently lodge one.� Of these appeals, 40% are successful, and a quarter of these are because assessors have made mistakes in interpreting the medical evidence.

The report found that up to 10% of 'Serna's assessments were 'substandard'. The MPs also called on the Department for Work and pensions to consider whether Sema should pay compensation to claimants who are called for a medical assessment and not seen.� Around 17,000 people are turned away from a scheduled appointment because Sema has deliberately overbooked to ensure doctors see as many people as possible.

PAC chair Edward Leigh said claimants were entitled to prompt, accurate and efficient decisions. The current problems `represent a significant shortfall in the quality of public service to some of the most disadvantaged people in society', he added.

New Deal Downfall (08/04/02):

A flagship government scheme aimed at getting disabled people jobs had

Crackdown On Disabled Parking Permit Abuse (05/04/02):

The government is to consider a crackdown on the abuse of disabled

Benefits Shock (04/04/02):

A benefits change supposed to help severely disabled young people could

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DRC News

DRC Second National Conference

The DRC's second National Conference will be held on Monday 11 November 2002 at the Radisson SAS Hotel, near Manchester Airport.� To request more information please send an email with your name and address to: [email protected]

Can Mental Health Service Users Benefit From Disability Rights?

(16/04/02):

A dialogue between Abina Parshad-Griffin, Chair of the Disability Rights

Report Stage - Disability Discrimination (Amendment) Bill (15/04/02):

DRC Response To "Towards Equality And Diversity: References To A

Possible Move To A Single Equalities Commission (SEC)" (08/04/02):

Disability Rights Commission successfully influences production of new

News from the Sector

The Scottish Ethnic Minorities Research Unit is currently carrying out a scoping study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on race, disability and social care in Scotland. We would be very interested to hear from organisations who are planning to or who are currently carrying out initiatives which engage minority ethnic disabled people. These might be one-off or on-going initiatives.

Please contact Dr. Gina Netto at 0131-221 6269 or email her at

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Ability Fest 2002:

15th May at Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena.� Ability Fest 2002 will enable disabled people to access information and advice about learning, volunteering, employment and leisure opportunities in the West of Scotland.

The event will consist of a morning conference for registered delegates followed by a public exhibition of a wide variety of organisations. There will be stalls

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Is It Safe To Come Out At Work?:

Only one in three people with experience of mental health problems feel