,
I would like to start by thanking the organisers for giving me the chance to talk to you today.
[Followers of American politics will understand when I say that I was very excited to hear I’d been invited to speak in the West Wing!]
It gives me great pleasure to open this conference and I’m delighted to see so many people here today.
While I’m often asked to talk about the Government’s strategy for disabled people, this is an unusual – and very welcome – opportunity for me to talk about some of the social and cultural issues around disability.
And I really think you have a fascinating agenda along with some very thought-provoking speakers – like Tom Shakespeare – so I’m sure this will be a great opportunity to hear new ideas and share good practice.
I appreciate that, for many people here today, a Work and Pensions Minister may be something of a mystery.
It was a Labour Government under Harold Wilson that created the role of Minister for Disabled People – to act as a champion within Government – and I'm very proud to have that title now.
As well as being directly responsible for a portfolio of policies and services that support disabled people, it's my job to ensure that Government works together on issues that impact on the lives of disabled people.
I’m very conscious that you have a very full agenda, so I want to keep my contribution brief this morning.
But I think it might be useful if I set out how the issues you will be considering over the next two days fit into the Government’s work on disability.
It’s perhaps ironic to begin a speech to an audience which includes museum curators with a history lesson.
However, it’s important to remember that the inclusion of disabled people is a relatively recent aspiration for our society.
Twenty-five years ago, when I first worked alongside disabled people, they were almost invisible in everyday life.
They had very few rights and, where those rights were in place, they had only been granted reluctantly – and after a long struggle on behalf of disabled people.
Thankfully, we’ve come a long way in a relatively short space of time.
Since 1997, this Government has delivered the biggest extension of disability civil rights this country has ever seen.
And, partly as a result, we now see:
But, I am under no illusion that we have still got some way to go before disabled people are empowered to participate fully in society.
There are over 10 million disabled people in Britain, including people with limiting longstanding illnesses – of whom, around seven hundred thousand are children.
And, despite progress, the people captured by this estimate are still significantly worse off than the rest of the population on almost every measure – including social networks, income, employment and longevity.
That's why this Government introduced, from December last year, the Disability Equality Duty.
This places a positive duty on all public bodies – including museums – to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people and to tackle discrimination.
We’re still at an early stage, but I am pleased to say that all but a few public bodies have got their equality schemes in place.
And the Disability Rights Commission is taking the appropriate action against those who haven’t.
The Office for Disability Issues, which acts as my eyes and ears within Government, will also be undertaking work to evaluate the impact of these schemes – and ensure they are working effectively.
I think the new Duty is a major step forward in creating a more equal society.
But I think we can all agree that legislation can only achieve so much – and what has been achieved so far can only be seen as the beginning.
We need to build on the foundation of civil and human rights we have in place.
And the importance of having the right strategies, policies and services in place is, I believe, matched by the need to change the way disability is perceived and represented in our society.
If you look at mental health, for example, we still see the media focus on stereotypes at the expense of realism.
Sometimes it seems that people with mental health conditions must either be witty TV presenters whose courage should be applauded – or people who are a danger to themselves and others that should be locked away.
I’ve also been concerned about the current trend for documentaries about people with extreme or unusual impairments. Often these programmes have sensational, if not insulting, titles – and are uncomfortably reminiscent of the ‘freak shows’ which were popular a hundred years ago.
That said, I do believe perceptions of disability in our society are changing – and, for the most part, the change is for the better.
We now see positive images of disabled people used in advertising, for example.
Disabled people also have a much higher profile in the arts – the Alison Lapper statue in Trafalgar Square is just one example that springs to mind.
The increasing inclusion of disabled people in mainstream society and particularly in our educational establishments is also having some interesting effects.
For example, we see the line between disability and mainstream sport becoming increasingly blurred.
I’m sure you’re all aware of the debate around Oscar Pistorius, the young South African amputee who wants to compete alongside non-disabled atheletes at the 2008 Olympic Games.
This case has, I think, generated a really interesting and challenging discussion within the sporting world.
So we are making some progress as a society – but we need to quicken the pace of change.
It’s critical that we not only demonstrate to disabled people that they are valued and can play a full part in society, but that we also invest in educating the next generation.
In particular, we need to challenge the perception that disability is something which affects other people.
All of us may, at some stage in our lives, acquire an impairment or limiting health condition.
So disability isn’t just an issue for a marginal section of society – it’s a mainstream issue which should be important to all of us.
I have no doubt about the important role museums can play in this.
Schools across the country are increasingly looking to you to help enrich and supplement their teaching.
The Government’s Renaissance programme has invested close to £150 million in museums – and, together with the new Equality Duty, it’s clear the opportunity is there to really drive change.
As I said earlier, we estimate there are ten million people in Britain who meet the definition of disability set out in the Disability Discrimination Act. That’s about one sixth of the population – and museums need to reflect that, both in terms of opening up access and in positioning disability as a mainstream issue.
I believe this conference will be very helpful in building and maintaining momentum on this agenda.
It’s wonderful to see the discussions taking place aren’t just going to be about making buildings or exhibitions accessible.
As important as access is, it’s critical that we think about how museums can help promote social and cultural cohesion.
I said at the start of my contribution today that, until recently, disabled people were largely invisible in society.
Their experiences and histories were hidden – and their voices ignored.
You have a great opportunity to start uncovering these histories – and, by involving disabled people in your work, giving them expression.
I’m sure this conference will help you all look at your work and give you ideas to tackle this challenging agenda.
In closing, I wanted to add one final reflection.
I believe we stand at a critical juncture on the road to equality.
As I’ve touched on today, it is inevitable that there will be some huge challenges and difficult decisions ahead if we’re going to reach our goal of an equal society.
In order to achieve our ambitions it’s important to remember where we have come from, to reflect on the mistakes that have been made and to make sure we all learn from them.
So let’s be honest and frank with each other. Let’s challenge our own preconceptions. And let’s ensure that disabled people are involved in this debate and given a genuine opportunity to shape the way forward.
Thank you again for your time – I hope you have a very successful conference.
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Page last reviewed: 11 August 2008