The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on employers and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve disabled people\u2019s access to goods and services so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people. In the case of service providers this reasonable adjustment duty is an anticipatory duty therefore those who provide goods, facilities and services to members of the public are expected to anticipate the reasonable adjustments that disabled customers may require, including auxiliary aids.<\/p>
In recent years, case law has strengthened the equalities law for people with assistance dogs. There have been a number of significant cases brought under the Equality Act involving assistance dogs, which have been successfully litigated, for example, Bloch v Kassim<\/em> (assistance dogs in taxis); Clutton and Williams v Pen<\/em>-y<\/em>-Bryn Group (assistance dogs in restaurants); and McCafferty v Miah (assistance dogs in shops).<\/em><\/p> The Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS), the equalities and human rights helpline, receives about 35,000 customer contacts a year, more than 60% of which concern disability issues. The EASS intervenes directly with or assists the complainant to take the problem up with the relevant service provider in many cases, including those involving assistance dogs.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4399", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Atkins"}
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, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-01T12:01:55.037Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-09-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Assistance Animals"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to assistance dogs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4267", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Champion"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136517", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136517/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve disabled people\u2019s access to goods and services so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people. This reasonable adjustment duty is an anticipatory duty therefore those who provide goods, facilities and services to members of the public are expected to anticipate the reasonable adjustments that disabled customers may require, including auxiliary aids.<\/p> <\/p> The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is the public body responsible for enforcing the Equality Act. In 2017, the EHRC published two pieces of guidance - a guide to help businesses understand what they can do to meet their legal duties to assistance dog owners, and a guide to help tourism businesses welcome people with access requirements. The EHRC also supports disabled individuals who have experienced discrimination to take their cases to court. The EHRC has delivered a Legal Support Project to increase access to justice for people experiencing disability discrimination. In 2017/18 it offered disabled groups £189,000 for legal assistance across 94 cases in areas including employment, education and public services. The EHRC is also increasing its legal capacity to advise on discrimination cases."<\/p> <\/p> In the Government\u2019s view, an equalities ombudsman as recommended by the Guide Dogs report would not usefully add to the EHRC\u2019s functions.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4399", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Atkins"}
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, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her Department's policies of the recommendations in the report by the charity Guide Dogs entitled, Access denied: a report into the frequency and impact of access refusals on assistance dog owners in 2019, on the establishment of an equality ombudsman.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136242", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136242/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Section 173(1) of the Equality Act (the Act) already sets out a definition of an assistance dog in relation to those sections of the Act \u2013 applicable to taxis and private hire vehicles - which refer to assistance dogs, as follows:<\/p> a dog which has been trained to guide a blind person;<\/p> a dog which has been trained to assist a deaf person;<\/p> a dog which has been trained by a prescribed charity to assist a disabled person who has a disability that consists of epilepsy or otherwise affects the person's mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects;<\/p> a dog of a prescribed category which has been trained to assist a disabled person who has a disability (other than one falling within paragraph (c)) of a prescribed kind;<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4399", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Atkins"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-23T14:56:24.317Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Assistance Animals"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will take steps to amend the definition for assistance dog to ensure that it applies to the Equality Act 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4267", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Champion"}
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