XN000022-1994-03-16 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1994

I'D

SO I THINK WE'VE ACHIEVED A GOOD DEAL OVER THE LAST YEAR AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE GROUPS REPRESENTING THE DISABLED FOR THE VERY POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH THAT THEY'VE TAKEN, JUST AS LIKE TO THANK THE TRANSPORT OPERATORS FOR REACTING AS POSITIVELY AS THEY HAVE. BUT I REPEAT WHAT I SAID EARLIER. WE CAN'T BE COMPLACENT. THERE IS STILL MORE PROGRESS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE. WE'LL BE UNDERTAKING A REPORT NEXT YEAR TO SEE HOW MUCH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED OVER THE NEXT MONTHS AND WILL HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE BASIS OF THAT REPORT. WE OWE IT TO THOSE WITH DISABILITY TO CONTINUE TO GIVE THIS ISSUE IMPORTANCE. IT'S A MATTER OF HUMAN DIGNITY. IT'S A MATTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE GIVE

THE DISABLED EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FULL, TO THE LIFE OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

QUESTION

ONE OF THE SPEAKERS TODAY, PETER CHAN, HAS BEEN QUITE CRITICAL OF THE BUS COMPANIES, SAYING THAT AT BEST THEY'RE ONLY MAKING COSMETIC IMPROVEMENTS AND SAYING THAT IF BUS COMPANIES ARE RELUCTANT CHANGE AND DISCRIMINATE AGAINST DISABLED PASSENGERS, THEY SHOULD LOSE THEIR PUBLIC FRANCHISE. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT TO MAKE ON THIS ?

TO

GOVERNOR : THERE WAS QUITE A LIVELY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PARTICULAR PROBLEMS FACED BY THE BUS COMPANIES. I THINK THERE'S A RECOGNITION ON THE PART OF THE GROUPS REPRESENTING THE DISABLED THAT THERE'S A RATHER DIFFERENT SET OF PROBLEMS WHICH AFFECT THE BUS COMPANIES WHICH ARR TRYING AS THEY REPLACE THE FLEET TO ENSURE THAT THEIR NEW VEHICLES INCORPORATE THE BEST SORT OF DESIGN TO HELP THE DISABLED WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN THE MANUFACTURING COUNTRIES. SO Ι THINK THERE'S A RECOGNITION ON THE PART OF THE DISABLED BUT IT'S A BIT MORE OF A PROBLEM FOR THE BUS COMPANIES. BUT NEVERTHELESS THEY WANT THE BUS COMPANIES TO DO MORE, THEY WANT THE BUS COMPANIES TO MOVE FASTER, THEY WANT THE BUS COMPANIES TO GIVE THE SUBJECT THE SAME PRIORITY AND ATTENTION WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY KCRC AND MTRC HAVE GIVEN IT. BUT I THINK YOU PROBABLY BEST ASK ONE OR TWO OF THE BUS OPERATORS THEMSELVES HOW THEY THINK THEY CAN BEST REACT. I REPEAT THAT I THINK THERE'S A RECOGNITION THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WHICH THE RAILWAY COMPANIES DON'T HAVE. BUT NEVERTHELESS EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE THEM ADDRESSING THOSE PROBLEMS AS POSITIVELY AS POSSIBLE.

QUESTION

(ON ALLOWANCE)

GOVERNOR : THAT WAS A SUBJECT THAT WAS RAISED AS WELL. WHEN THB GREEN PAPER ON DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION WAS BEING CONSIDERED, THE QUESTION OF MOBILITY ALLOWANCE CAME UP AND AT THAT STAGE THE IDEA WAS TURNED DOWN IN FAVOUR OF CONTINUING TO DEVELOP DISABILITY ALLOWANCE AND PROVIDE SPECIFIC FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED. BUT I DON'T MYSELF BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE END OF THE ARGUMENT AND I'M SURE IT WILL CONTINUE TO FEATURE AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT IN THE' CONTEXT OF OUR OVERALL PRIORITIES. WE ARE VERY KEEN FIRST AND FOREMOST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GREEN PAPER IS IMPLEMENTED TO THE FULL, IF POSSIBLE. AHEAD OF TIME. ONE MORE QUESTION.

/QUESTION