{"id":35720,"date":"2025-08-22T17:04:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T17:04:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/disability-rights-plan-risks-failure-warns-equalities-watchdog\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T17:04:38","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T17:04:38","slug":"disability-rights-plan-risks-failure-warns-equalities-watchdog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/disability-rights-plan-risks-failure-warns-equalities-watchdog\/","title":{"rendered":"Disability rights plan risks failure, warns equalities watchdog"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Gareth Lewis<\/span><\/p>\n

Political editor, BBC Wales News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Adrian Browne<\/span><\/p>\n

Political reporter, BBC Wales News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"GettyGetty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Disabled People’s Rights Plan aims to give people more rights across a range of areas in Wales<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Key parts of the Welsh government’s flagship plan to improve disabled people’s rights need to be rewritten, according to the equalities watchdog.<\/p>\n

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called on ministers to commit to clear targets and timeframes.<\/p>\n

It warns that without revisions, including greater accountability and regular progress reports, the plan risks becoming merely symbolic. The concerns echo those made by some disabled rights groups<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n

The Welsh government said it was considering responses to a consultation and would ensure “the views of disabled people are central to our final publication”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Interim chair of the EHRC’s Wales Committee Martyn Jones said: “As Britain’s equality regulator, we are committed to promoting the rights of disabled people and ensuring they can participate easily and equally in society.<\/p>\n

“We welcome the Welsh government’s ambition to improve disabled people’s rights, but it’s crucial they go further to make Wales as inclusive and accessible as possible.<\/p>\n

“For too long, the Welsh government has failed to deliver the services disabled people need.<\/p>\n

“Without revisions, the commitments made in the draft Disabled People’s Rights Plan risk becoming symbolic.”<\/p>\n

The Disabled People’s Rights Plan aims to give people more rights across a range of areas in Wales.<\/p>\n

But critics have said much of the detail could fall off the agenda<\/a>, especially after a new government is elected next year.<\/p>\n

After criticism of the plan in June, the Welsh government said short-term recommendations from a disability rights taskforce had been “turned into actions” while longer-term aims would help guide future governments towards its “10-year vision”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Martyn Jones says ministers must go further to provide services people with disabilities need <\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Ministers have been working on the taskforce for the past four years.<\/p>\n

It produced more than 300 recommendations for reform in areas such as social care, employment, housing and travel, in a plan that stretches over the next 10 years.<\/p>\n

But some who took part have said the recommendations have not been incorporated in the document sent out for consultation.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the Senedd in June, the minister responsible, Jane Hutt, called the plan a progress report which set out some of the achievements made so far and the Welsh government’s ongoing work to achieve positive outcomes for disabled people.<\/p>\n

“It is future Senedd government’s who will set out the medium to long-term actions that they will take to achieve the ambition and outcomes for disabled people set out in this 10-year plan, but we’ve started to take forward some of the short-term actions now,” she added.<\/p>\n

On Friday, responding to the commission’s warning, the Welsh government said it was seeking to “make Wales an inclusive, accessible place where disabled people can live free from barriers and discrimination”.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson said its draft plan “has been shaped by disabled people themselves, with over 350 organisations and individuals with lived experience and expertise contributing through our Disability Rights Taskforce”. <\/p>\n

“The plan includes an External Advisory Board, led by disabled people, to monitor how it is implemented.<\/p>\n

“We are currently considering the consultation responses and will ensure that the views of disabled people are central to our final publication.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Does the EHRC think it will get the changes it wants?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Interviewed by BBC Wales later on Friday, Martyn Jones expressed determination, on behalf of the EHRC, to ensure Welsh ministers “come up with the goods” on this matter.<\/p>\n

Stressing that the commission has a “very productive relationship with Welsh government” he also emphasised “we are the national equalities regulator and a national human rights institution”.<\/p>\n

“Our function is to ensure that public bodies, including Welsh government, come up with the goods on these policy intents,” he said.<\/p>\n

“We will use all the statutory powers we have at our disposal to assist and advise Welsh government to get this plan where it needs to be.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


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