Watchdog to attack shelving of new law

Ministers will face a stinging attack from their own disability rights watchdog on Wednesday amid fears that many people will die before anti-discrimination legislation is put on the statute books.

Bert Massey, chairman of the Disability Rights Commission, will criticise Tony Blair for shelving new laws to extend rights for disabled people.

Labour promised to extend basic rights in its 2001 election manifesto, and campaigners believed legislation would be introduced to outlaw discrimination. But earlier this year the Government made clear that a proposed Bill to plug loopholes in the Disability Discrimination Act was unlikely to be in the next Queen's speech.

Such a Bill would have given disabled people substantial new rights in transport and housing and outlaw discrimination against those with long-term illnesses. But Mr Massey will tell Congress on Wednesday that discrimination is still rife in many areas.

He will say: "We need to extend the definition of disabled people to include those diagnosed as having cancer or who are HIV positive. The Government has agreed these changes but has given no indication when they will introduce the legislation. It seems certain it will not be this year.

"How much longer must disabled people wait? It is said that some people have the patience of Job ... patience is wearing thin, it will snap.

"Given the age of many disabled people, they will die before receiving rights we were promised in 1997.''

The commission, which was set up by Tony Blair two years ago, said that despite progress in making buses and trains accessible, disabled people still faced huge problems.

Mr Massey will warn that current legislation is "a dog's dinner'' and insists a new single equality Act is necessary to ensure Britain is a society offering equal opportunities.