More MS news articles for February 2003

Equality agency plans won't work, says DRC

http://www.mssociety.org.uk/news_events/news/daily/equality_agency.html

21st February 2003

The Disability Rights Commission says none of the government's proposals for creating a single equality agency will work. The plan is to merge the DRC, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality.

Speaking as the consultation period on the proposals ended, DRC chairman, Bert Massie said they would weaken efforts to reduce discrimination. Victims of different types of discrimination would lose currently available expertise.

He said the government must establish a body for the long-term, even if that meant delaying it beyond the planned introduction in 2006. The DRC wants a single commission to include specialist units for each type of discrimination and a new equality act to put all discrimination law on an equal footing.