Meeting of the Parliament 08 December 2016
I welcome the publication of “A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Our Delivery Plan to 2021 for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”—to give it its full title. The plan will bring positive change for disabled people. The Scottish Government’s goal—that every disabled person has choice, control, dignity and freedom—reflects the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which I raised with Adam Tomkins during his speech.
The plan marks the culmination of two and a half years of intensive engagement with disabled people and their organisations to establish their views and priorities. The work, which was led by the independent living in Scotland project, which is now part of Inclusion Scotland, worked with disabled people’s organisations, and through them engaged directly with disabled people to identify their priorities for action when it comes to making their human rights a reality.
We did that—the Scottish Government engaged with people, listened to them and took forward their thoughts in the consultation process, which culminated in “A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People”. Unlike the UK Tory Government, the SNP Government is taking action to enhance disabled people’s lives. The Tories are violating their rights by punishing them with disproportionate welfare cuts. The Scottish Government’s ambitions around the five themes and 93 actions will support the ultimate aim of disabled people gaining their human rights.
I will make a couple of points that have been raised by other members. The Tories talk about sticking up for disabled people, but I would like to ask them how cutting £30 a week from ESA will help disabled people to get into work. With PIP replacing DLA—