The Ministry of Justice has extended its consultation on controversial human rights reforms by six weeks for disabled people after several disability and human rights groups complained to the lord chancellor about accessibility.
A consultation on replacing the Human Rights Act with a ‘bill of rights’ closes today (8 March). However, in a letter to Dominic Raab last week, organisations including campaign group Liberty and legal thinktank Justice said disabled people had been given 12 days to respond.
They said an ‘easy read’ version of the 123-page document was published more than 10 weeks into the three-month consultation process, the contents of the ‘easy read’ document were insufficient and the absence of an audio file excluded people who are visually impaired.
The letter prompted the Ministry of Justice to apologise for the long wait for a 'fully accessible' document.
After it was brought to the Gazette's attention yesterday that the audio version had yet to appear and the 'easy read' version had been published very late in the day, the MoJ was asked when the audio version would be available and when precisely did it publish the 'easy read' version.
The ministry told the Gazette yesterday evening that the consultation will be extended for six weeks for those who need the accessible version to respond, including organisations who represent those individuals. An audio version is available from today. For all other respondents, the consultation closes today.
A spokesperson for the MoJ said: ‘The consultation on our HRA proposals has been extended by 6 weeks for anyone who requires the easy read or audio versions to ensure everyone has the opportunity to respond.’
However, it emerged today that individuals and organisations needing an easy read or audio version must request an extension.
Kari Gerstheimer, CEO and founder of Access Social Care, said: 'Whilst recognising that organisations and individuals have been put at a disadvantage in the late production of accessible consultation documents, the government has put a further and unnecessary barrier in place by requiring individuals to request an extension.'
Gerstheimer said the proposed reforms will disproportionately affect disabled people and the government should do all it can to facilitate a fair and open consultation process.
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