Mental health is a cross-Government issue as it affects everyone in society, and we continue to work closely with other Government departments in addressing the wider determinants of mental ill health. We are currently working with stakeholders to develop a Mental Health Policy Tool to support Government policymakers to take mental health and wellbeing impacts into account, and address disparities when designing new policies.<\/p>
Through the NHS Long Term Plan, the Government is providing record levels of investment to expand and transform National Health Service mental health services in England, so that more people, including those working in the companion animal welfare sector, can get the help and support that they need.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Maria Caulfield"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewes"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Maria Caulfield"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-13T09:40:21.013Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Assistance Animals"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support the mental health of people working in the companion animal welfare sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4866", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alexander Stafford"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rother Valley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alexander Stafford"} ], "uin" : "25116"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1550671", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1550671/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
No one should be refused access to businesses or services because they legitimately have an assistance dog.<\/p>
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, meaning that 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>
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is the public body responsible for enforcing the Equality Act. In 2017, the Commission published two pieces of guidance \u2013 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 supports disabled individuals who have experienced discrimination to take their cases to court.<\/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-y-Bryn Group<\/em> (assistance dogs in restaurants); and McCafferty v Miah<\/em> (assistance dogs in shops). The Equality Advisory and 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 can intervene directly with or assist the complainant to take the case up with the relevant service provider in many cases, including those involving assistance dogs.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4032", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Andrew"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pudsey"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stuart Andrew"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-12-15T11:21:45.993Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-12-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Assistance Animals"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will take steps to tackle access refusal of people with assistance dogs by businesses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3950", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Tracey Crouch"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chatham and Aylesford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tracey Crouch"}
], "uin" : "108148"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1175165", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1175165/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments for their disabled users and customers so that they are not disadvantaged compared with people who are not disabled. This requirement includes permitting access to assistance dogs where reasonable. If a person meets the Act\u2019s definition of disability and has an emotional support animal to help them manage that disability, they should ask the service provider to consider allowing access to the animal.<\/p> Other than in relation to taxis, the Equality Act does not refer to assistance dogs or any other specific form of support or facility for disabled people, because each reasonable adjustment must be considered on its merits and in the context of the particular circumstances of the case. We therefore have no plans to include emotional support dogs in the Act, as this would be at odds with the basic and long-standing basis of the legislation.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4311", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Williams of Trafford"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-02-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-02-05T11:36:15.4Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Assistance Animals"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the Equality Act 2010 to give the same rights to owners of emotional support animals as those who own certified assistance animals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4339", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Brady"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Brady"}
], "uin" : "HL609"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1145818", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1145818/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " 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"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Louth and Horncastle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Atkins"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-01T12:01:55.037Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "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"}
}
], "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"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rotherham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Champion"}
], "uin" : "290801"}
, {"_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"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Louth and Horncastle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Atkins"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-23T14:57:02.897Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Assistance Animals"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "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"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4267", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Champion"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rotherham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Champion"}
], "uin" : "272844"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136240", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136240/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I refer the Hon.Member for Rotherham to the answer I gave her today, UIN: 290800.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4399", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Atkins"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Louth and Horncastle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Atkins"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-01T11:59:04.873Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "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"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Equality Act 2010, what steps the Government is taking to inform businesses and the service sector of the rights of assistance dogs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4267", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Champion"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rotherham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Champion"}
], "uin" : "272197"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136241", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136241/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I refer the Hon. Member for Rotherham to the answer I gave her today, UIN: 290801.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4399", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Atkins"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Louth and Horncastle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Atkins"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-01T12:03:41.217Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "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"}
}
], "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"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rotherham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Champion"}
], "uin" : "272198"}
, {"_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"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Louth and Horncastle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Atkins"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-23T14:56:24.317Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
, "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"}
}
], "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"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rotherham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Champion"}
], "uin" : "272199"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134262", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1134262/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The services of assistance dogs are provided by a number of UK charities and private sector organisations, including owner trainers, some of whom are accredited by international bodies. The Department for Work and Pensions does not offer financial support or raise awareness for this sector.<\/p> <\/p> As the Government does not directly deliver these services, it does not centrally collect data estimating the prevalence of need for assistance dogs, or record the numbers who have access to one.<\/p> The services and standards of assistance dogs are currently and historically maintained on the basis of a voluntary regulatory framework. There is no specific legislation for the regulation of assistance dogs and no legislation is planned.<\/p> Assistance dogs must be allowed access to premises and services as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010. There is also an obligation on service providers to ensure that staff receive disability awareness training. Guidance for service providers on their duties and responsibilities already exists and is available from both the Gov.uk website and from the EHRC \u2013 for example:<\/p>