Leonard Cheshire Response To Single Equality Commission Proposal By Barbara Roche MP

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LEONARD CHESHIRE RESPONSE TO SINGLE EQUALITY COMMISSION PROPOSAL BY BARBARA ROCHE MP Commenting on today's announcement by Cabinet Office Minister, Barbara Roche MP, on plans for a single equality commission, John Knight, from the UK's leading disability care charity, Leonard Cheshire, said: "Discrimination hurts not only those discriminated against but society as a whole. "It devalues society and is short-sighted. Why discriminate against disabled people when they have an estimated spending power of over £40 billion p.a. and are a huge and largely untapped reservoir of skills, absent from the labour market? "Barbara Roche's speech today, setting out plans for a single 'discrimination' commission, could provide the spark that unites all people who face unfair and discriminatory actions." Leonard Cheshire views a single commission with, albeit guarded, optimism. Bringing together the power and ideas of people who face particular discrimination - for instance older people, disabled people, gay men and lesbians, people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, people experiencing faith discrimination and women - will create a critical and collective mass. This mass of energy will provide a colossal force for change. John Knight added: "Any single commission which harnesses this power must ensure that the interests and identity of all people who are discriminated against are fully encompassed. Many lessons can be learnt from those countries that already have single commissions. "In particular, we want an assurance that disabled people's needs and voices continue to get equal priority and are not subsumed by other issues." ENDS For more information, contact John Knight on 07860 829110 or Sara Brown on 07956 863762. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/05/15/20020515BIT01690/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/05/15/20020515BIT01690/wkr0002.pdf