House of Commons · Westminster Hall
17 November 2020 · 1 other contributor · 3,787 words
Opened by Siobhan Baillie Con Stroud
Responding minister: Nigel Huddleston
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Siobhan Baillie raised concerns about disabled access: leisure facilities in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
Siobhan Baillie asks the Government to investigate and take action on this matter, arranging a stakeholder meeting involving relevant Ministers from multiple departments, and reviewing any codes of practice. She requests improvements in ride access for disabled individuals and better training for staff to understand their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Siobhan Baillie is concerned about the poor disabled access at theme parks, highlighting a specific case of Sebastian 'Sebby', a six-year-old boy with gross motor delay and cerebral palsy. Sebby was denied access to rides despite meeting the requirements for wheelchair users, leading to a humiliating experience that undermined his mental wellbeing. The issue is widespread, with many families around the country facing similar discriminatory practices at various leisure parks.
A constituent who is totally disabled asked the council for wheelchair football, which improved both physical abilities and mental wellbeing. The issue raised is not just about physical access but also mental health. Asked if the Minister has had an opportunity to ascertain whether we can implement similar disabled access measures seen at Disney World and Universal Studios in Florida, where profoundly disabled children in wheelchairs are accommodated.
Government Response
Nigel HuddlestonIt is a pleasure to serve under the chairmanship of Sir Christopher Chope. The Minister congratulates Siobhan Baillie for securing the debate, acknowledging an unfortunate incident at a tourist attraction that affected her constituents and garnered over 26,000 signatures on a petition. The Minister acknowledges Merlin's engagement with the family involved but highlights his limited ability to discuss specifics due to jurisdictional constraints under the Equality Act 2010. He emphasises the requirement for service providers to make 'reasonable adjustments' to improve access for disabled customers and mentions that anyone who feels they have been discriminated against can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service, which can liaise with the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Minister outlines several actions taken by the Government to enhance accessibility in tourism, including publishing a tourism sector deal aiming to make the UK the most accessible destination in Europe by 2025. This goal is underpinned by the economic rationale of welcoming all potential tourists and accommodating an ageing population with access needs. Specific initiatives include VisitEngland's dedicated web portal offering tailored advice on accessibility and a £30 million Changing Places fund for improving public toilet facilities. The Minister also highlights positive examples within the UK, such as Eureka! The National Children's Museum in Halifax and the Titanic exhibition in Belfast, while acknowledging that consistent progress needs to be made across all attractions. He expresses willingness to further investigate best practices globally and collaborate with Merlin and other tourism bodies towards enhancing accessibility.