Office of Disability

The League has been involved in consultations with respect to the establishment of this office and the probability of a National Forum on Disability being established. Our position at this time is that we are supportive but we believe it needs to be compartmentalised in order to deal efficiently and provisionally with the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and whatever emerges in Northern Ireland.

We have particular concerns around how disability policy will evolve. We are very active within the Labour Party's Partnership Into Power process, which was successful during the last term in securing a number of commitments within the Labour Party Manifesto prior to the General Election in relation to disability matters.

That is clearly the environment where disability policy will be establishes, and we need to ensure that the consultation mechanisms involving other disabled people through the new Office of Disability Affairs will build a respectful relationship with the formal process within the Labour Party. We will be active across the piste in these matters and continue to represent our members' views on all aspects of disability throughout the process.

OFCOM

With technology ever advancing in the communications field, the League remains concerned that our disabled people are largely excluded, for example the electronic programme guide on digital television is currently inaccessible, particular to people with sight difficulties.

It was the League who made representation on this to Ofcom through the Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People where we have a presence, as a consequence the University of Bournemouth are working on, and are close to creating, an accessible guide which will be available at a manufacturers exhibition in the near future.