ADVOCATING FOR EQUALITY

Early day motion 466, tabled 21 January 2004 by Kevin Barron (Labour). Signed by 66 members.

That this House welcomes the publication of Advocating for Equality, detailing research carried out by the Independent Advocacy Campaign on the availability of advocacy services for people with physical, sensory, communication and profound and multiple impairments; notes that there is a serious lack of independent advocacy provision due to funding constraints and insufficient skills and experience around working with these groups of people; further notes that many disabled people state they would benefit from the assistance of an independent advocate; calls for increased provision to ensure that all disabled people have access to support from an independent advocate; and urges local authorities and health bodies to publish advocacy plans and to consider how funding for advocacy can be increased so that the needs of a broad range of disabled people are met.

Signatures by party: Labour 38, Liberal Democrat 10, Conservative 4, Labour/Co-operative 4, UUP 4, DUP 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 1.