Labour demands answers after damning UN report

The
Labour Party is calling on the Secretary of State for the Department of Work
and Pensions, David Gauke MP, to come before Parliament to explain why the
Government has failed to implement recommendations from a United Nations report
into the rights of disabled people, which has resulted in the chair of the UN’s
Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities describing the situation
as a ‘human catastrophe’ for disabled people.

Following
the first ever investigation into a breach of their convention protecting
disabled people’s rights last year, the UN found that the UK Government has
committed ‘grave and systematic violations’, and set out a number of measures
they needed to take to improve.

As
yesterday’s review described, implementation of the initial recommendations has
been ‘uneven’ and ‘insufficient’. Despite having months to improve, the
Government is still failing to understand, adapt to or apply a human rights
model of disability; to properly consult disabled people in the implementation
of the convention; and to address concerns about the impact of austerity
measures which have increased levels of poverty among disabled people.

Debbie
Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said:

“Yesterday’s
damning report highlights the complete failure of this Tory Government to
listen to the UN, and to take action to guarantee the basic rights of disabled
people.

“Their
lack of progress across almost all of the UN Committee’s recommendations
reflects the Government’s refusal to accept the misery faced by disabled people
as a result of their failing austerity agenda.

“The
Secretary of State must come before the House at the earliest possible
opportunity to explain why the Government has refused to listen to the UN, and
instead continues to violate disabled people’s rights.

“The next
Labour Government will incorporate the UN CRPD fully into UK law.”