Lords Committee on the Equality Act 2010 takes evidence from deaf community
Next week, Tuesday 27 October, the House of Lords Committee on the Equality Act 2010 and Disability will take evidence from the British Deaf Association, among others.
And in a first for a House of Lords Committee, the witnesses will give evidence in British Sign Language. BSL interpreters will enable witnesses from the British Deaf Association to give evidence on issues such as legal recognition for BSL, reasonable adjustments for BSL users and also what other barriers deaf people have experienced in accessing employment and services.
The first session will take evidence from Terry Riley, Chair, British Deaf Association, and David Buxton, Director of Campaigns and Communications, British Deaf Association.
In a second session the committee will hear from businesses and campaign groups on the issue of accessing employment and services. It will cover areas such as ‘hidden disabilities' and whether business and service providers are catering for them, the value of the ‘questionnaire procedure' in employment applications, and guidance for businesses on welcoming disabled customers.
Witnesses in this session are George Selvanera, Business Disability Forum, Mark McLane, Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity from BDF Partner Barclays Bank, James Lowman, Association of Convenience Stores, and Dr. Peter Purton, Policy Officer, Disability and LGBT Rights, Trade Unions Congress.
The evidence session will take place at 3.20pm, on Tuesday 27 October, in Committee Room 4a of the House of Lords.
