Equal Opportunities Committee Disability Inquiry - Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities
Disability Inquiry Report
BSL Information
Easy Read Summary (PDF)
Visits Programme
Written Evidence
Summary of Evidence
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Cathy Peattie welcomes participants at the Edinburgh consultation event. |
The Committee published its report of the inquiry on 28 November 2006 and produced a summary its recommendations in a variety of alternative formats, including BSL and Easy Read. If you would like an alternative format, please contact the Committee Support Manager, Sam Currie—
Inquiry Remit
1. The Committee agreed the approach for its inquiry at its meeting on 1 June 2004 after careful consideration of all of the evidence it had received. Members agreed that they would wish to identify the issues that create barriers to the participation of disabled people, in particular in relation to accessing:
• work;
• further and higher education; and
• leisure.
2. The Committee also agreed to examine how situations might be changed in order to open up opportunities to disabled people by hearing from a range of groups, individuals and organisations.
Inquiry Timetable
Phase 1 - September 04 - June 05 |
Scene Setting |
The Committee heard from those affected by disability, academics and service providers. |
General Evidence |
Members held a number of consultation events across Scotland, in Edinburgh, Melrose, Glasgow, Ayr, Stirling, Thurso, Dundee and Kirkwall, to hear from relevant individuals, groups and organisations. The Committee also issued a call for written evidence which closed on 22 July 2005. |
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To access the information gathered at the events, please click here
To access the written evidence, please click here
To access a summary of the evidence received, please click here
In response to issues discussed during our consultation meetings, the Committee commissioned research into the provision of disability equality training in Scotland. To access the research report on the provision of disability equality training in Scotland, please click here. |
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Phase 2 - November 2005 - May 2006 |
Focused Evidence |
Access to work (November - January) |
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Access to further & higher education (February - March) |
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Access to leisure (March - April) |
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Cross-cutting issues and general evidence (April - May)
The Committee sent a delegation on a fact-finding visit to Oslo in February 2006 to look at the Norwegian experience of supported employment. For more information, see the note of the issues raised during the visit. |
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Phase 3 - May 2006 - November 2006 |
Examination of findings |
Production of draft recommendations |
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Publication of final report, BSL information, Easy Read summary
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| Scottish Executive Response |
| February 2007 |
The Scottish Executive provided the Committee with a response to its disability inquiry report on 27 February 2007. |
Background to the Committee's Inquiry
3. The Equal Opportunities Committee agreed to continue the work initiated in the first parliamentary session by its predecessor Committee in relation to the European Year of Disabled People 2003. The Committee therefore held a formal meeting and public participation event in December 2003 to examine the achievements and lessons of the year.
4. This meeting in December 2003 included an informal session to facilitate discussion with families and young people affected by disability, an open forum where people could express their views to the Committee and a formal evidence session to hear from projects which had received funding under EYDP. All Scottish projects which had received EYDP funding were invited to attend the event.
5. At the end of 2003, the Committee also invited written evidence and noted its intention to hold an inquiry into disability, the remit of which would be based on the written and oral evidence it received.
Disability Reporter Visits
6. To supplement the formal evidence sessions and written evidence received, the Committee's Disability Reporter carried out visits to Inverness and Kirkcaldy to speak to user groups and individuals affected by disability. The Reporter fed the issues of concern back to the Committee and this in turn informed the Committee's decision making in relation to the remit of the inquiry.
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