Department in the dock on disabilities
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MPs have given the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) a rap over the knuckles for not doing enough to ensure disabled employees and clients can use its IT systems. However, some disability campaigners defend the department, claiming it sets an example on how to cater for disabled people. Areport from the Commons work and pensions committee on the department’s management of IT projects says the department is “in danger of failing to meet its duties under the Disability Discrimination Act and needs to look carefully at how it administers IT projects in the future”. The committee’s report calls on the department to set out how it will “ensure its IT projects are fully in line with the highest standards of accessibility and to provide reassurance it will fully meet its duties under the Disability Discrimination Act”. The criticism is embarrassing to the department because it is the sponsor of the act which, among other things, requires website owners to make reasonable adjustments to allow disabled people to use them. The DWP is adamant it has not broken its own law. “The department has never knowingly breached the act or any other legislation,” says a spokesperson. “Our aim is for all our IT systems to be accessible to disabled users, but where this is not the case an alternative means of accessing the service is made available.” More : guardian.co.uk |