All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness

Inaugural Meeting - 15th June 2004

Date & Time: Tuesday 15th June 2004, 4.00 - 4.30pm.

Location: Committee Room 9, Committee Corridor, Palace of Westminster

Chair: Malcolm Bruce MP, Chair Elect, APPG on Deafness

Contact: Jonathan Isaac, Director UK Council on Deafness and Clerk to the APPG on Deafness

Attendees:

APPG on Deafness Members

Lord Ashley
Malcolm Bruce MP
Tom Levitt MP
James Gray MP
Nigel Waterson MP
Paul Holmes MP
Baroness Wilkins
Clive Betts MP
Tony Cunningham MP
Tim Loughton MP
Baroness Howe
Lord Harris

Guests

Mark Morris - RNID
Tom Fenton - RAD
Ruth Myers - UK Council on Deafness
Paul Simpson - BATOD
Susan Daniels - NDCS
Barbara Holmes - NDCS
Katie Hanson - Sense

Staff in attendance

Jonathan Isaac - Clerk
Susie Romeo - Palantypist
Roger Beeson - BSL/English Interpreter
David Wolfenden - BSL/English Interpreter

Minutes

The meeting started at 4.15pm

1. Apologies

Apologies received from

Harry Barnes MP
Kevin Barron MP
Anne Begg MP
Henry Bellingham MP
Roger Berry MP
David Borrow MP
Peter Bottomley MP
Graham Brady MP
Colin Breed MP
Chris Bryant MP
Alistair Burt MP
Martin Caton MP
Sydney Chapman MP
Derek Conway MP
Jack Cunningham MP
Baroness Darcy de Knayth
John Denham MP
Frank Doran MP
Gwyneth Dunwoody MP
Nigel Evans MP
Mark Field MP
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff
Jim Fitzpatrick MP
Adrian Flook MP
Paul Flynn MP
Baroness Gardner of Parkes
Andrew George MP
Cheryl Gillan MP
Paul Goodman MP
Baroness Goudie
Baroness Greengross
Win Griffiths MP
Jane Griffiths MP
John Healey MP
Ivan Henderson MP
Stephen Hepburn MP
John Heppell MP
Stephen Hesford MP
Kim Howells MP
Andrew Hunter MP
Eric Illsley MP
Adam Ingram MP
Nigel Jones MP
Eric Joyce MP
Fraser Kemp MP
Eleanor Laing MP
Andrew Lansley MP
Helen Liddell MP
David Lidington MP
Anthony Lloyd MP
Alice Mahon MP
Rob Marris MP
Robert Marshall-Andrews MP
Anne McIntosh MP
Kevin McNamara MP
Michael Moore MP
Lord Morris of Manchester
Kali Mountford MP
Eddie O'Hara MP
Peter Pike MP
Lawrie Quinn MP
Baroness Richardson of Calow
Marion Roe MP
Bob Russell MP
Debra Shipley MP
Andrew Smith MP
Martin Smyth MP
Robert Spink MP
Rachel Squire MP
Anthony Steen MP
Ian Stewart MP
Jack Straw MP
Hugo Swire MP
Teddy Taylor MP
Simon Thomas MP
John Thurso MP
Jenny Tonge MP
Bill Tynan MP
Robert Walter MP
Robert Wareing MP
Angela Watkinson MP
Anthony Wright MP

2. The Purpose and Activities of an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness

It was confirmed that the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness recognises the social model of deafness and will cover the full spectrum of deafness including deaf, Deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people.

It was agreed that the Objectives of the Group are the:

• Establishment of comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for deaf people

• Removal of barriers in policy, laws and practice to deaf people's equality and participation

• Establishment of appropriate services for deaf people, based on the concept of civil rights and equality

• Creation of opportunities for deaf people to participate in all aspects of life and to exercise their civic responsibilities, as well as their civil rights

And that the Activities of the Group will be to:

• Influence policy, across Government Departments, that has an impact on deaf people, their families and carers

• Represent the interests of deaf people to both Houses of Parliament through meetings and correspondence with Ministers and key officials

• Inform the Members of the Group and the wider membership of both Houses of Parliament about the issues that are relevant to deaf people

• Meet regularly with organisations of and for deaf people to hear at first hand the issues and policies of concern to them

• Provide, for deaf people, the opportunity to have direct contact with Members of both Houses of Parliament

• Monitor all new legislation to ensure that it is not against the interests of deaf people

• Support change to existing legislation that discriminates against deaf people

• Support increased access for deaf people as Members, staff and visiting public to the premises, processes and facilities of both Houses of Parliament

3. Appointment of Honorary President

It was proposed, and the members attending unanimously agreed, that Lord Ashley be appointed Honorary President of the All Party Parliamentary Deafness Group.

4. Election of Honorary Officers

The following Officers were elected:

5. Appointment of Secretariat

It was proposed by the Chair, and the members attending unanimously agreed, that UK Council on Deafness be appointed to provide secretariat services to the All Party Parliamentary Group.

6. Confirmation of the role of Secretariat

It was confirmed that the appointment of UK Council on Deafness as Secretariat would provide access for the group to the many organisations working with deaf people. That a website for the group would be established and that communication, where possible would be by email. It was proposed that the group meet six times a year.

7. Future Agenda for the Group

It was agreed that the purpose of the first two meetings of the group would be to hear from Maria Eagle MP, Minister for Disabled People, on the latest developments in the promotion of British Sign Language and to hear from OFCOM on the latest developments in broadcast and telecommunications. Other proposals for future meetings included: A visit to Oak Lodge School in Wandsworth; Access to Public Services for Hearing Dogs; the issues effecting deafened people; the implications of the extension of the Disability Discrimination Act; and the provision of sports activities for deaf people.

8. Any Other Business

It was requested that a brief fact-sheet on the various aspects of deafness be prepared and circulated to the members of the group.

The meeting ended at 4.45pm

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