Disability News Round Up By John Pring - Week Ending 04/03/2012

3/07/2012 10:24:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 2 Comments

• The government must act quickly to avoid destroying disabled people’s hard-earned right to independent living, according to the disabled peer who has played a key role in a year-long parliamentary inquiry.
• Welfare reforms and cuts to disability benefits and services are putting disabled people’s right to independent living at risk, according to a new report by peers and MPs.
• Two leading Scottish disabled people’s organisations have accused the minister for disabled people of lying about their involvement in a UK government consultation on welfare reform.
• The government is pressing ahead with plans that could see disabled people lose their benefits if they drop out of a work experience scheme, despite backing down on imposing such sanctions on young people.
• Disabled people campaigning against welfare reforms have linked up with activists fighting its health and social care bill.
• The government appears to have backed away from introducing new laws that could have forced users of mobility scooters and powered wheelchair to take out insurance, undergo training and take proficiency tests.
• The controversial welfare reform bill – which will see huge cuts to disability benefits, among other major changes – has cleared its final parliamentary obstacle and is now set to become law.
• A high court ruling has delivered a blow to the self-advocacy movement, and the way in which user-led organisations are viewed by the legal system and local authorities.
• Local authorities are preventing young disabled people from attending university, by refusing to offer them the care and support they need, MPs and peers have heard.
• The organisers of London 2012 have unveiled the new Paralympic torch, as they marked the latest milestone in the count-down to the games.
• Channel 4 has announced the disabled presenters and reporters who will be the faces of its coverage of the London 2012 Paralympics.