John Pring's Disability News Round Up 26/10/2012

10/30/2012 08:29:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 0 Comments

• Labour has called for an “immediate investigation” after evidence emerged that Atos Healthcare won two lucrative disability assessment contracts by using “misleading” information about its links with disabled people’s organisations.
• The launch of a government review has raised fears that ministers are planning to replace their advisory network of disabled people with a controversial new “alliance” of disabled people’s organisations, charities, service-providers and private sector organisations.
• Hundreds of campaigners have warned the Ministry of Justice that returning a seriously-ill disabled man to prison is likely to prove to be a “death sentence” for him.
• A new report is the first to demonstrate the likely devastating impact on disabled people’s lives of the government’s cuts to disability benefits, say campaigners.
• Police figures showing that some forces recorded just four disability hate crimes last year are “incredible” and “not believable”, according to the chair of the equality watchdog’s disability committee.
• The number of working-age disabled people who received support from their local council dropped sharply last year, while the number admitted to care homes increased, according to a new report.
• Union bosses have refused to say whether they sanctioned a private security company’s efforts to halt an anti-austerity protest by disabled activists.
• Disabled activists who have again brought central London traffic to a standstill have called for a general strike to highlight anger at government cuts to disability benefits and services.
• Disabled people who took part in a major anti-austerity march through London have described why they wanted to make their voices heard as they protested against the government’s cuts.