UK Inquiry Tracker

Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 9 Jun 2020 Closed: 4 Nov 2021 Parliament page

Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services Watch a British Sign Language explainer video for the Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: full Report Watch a British Sign Language explainer video for the Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: interim Report on temporary provisions in … Read more

23 Recommendations

12 Conclusions

2 Reports

3 Oral sessions

7 Letters

3 Events

Activity timeline 14 events

17 May
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families to the Chair relating to the Committee’s report ‘U…

14 Apr
2021

Report published

Fourth Special Report: Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report

13 Apr
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence from the Minister for Care to the Chair relating to the Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions affecting disabled people

13 Apr
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to the Chair for Children and Families relating to the Temporary Coronavirus…

18 Mar
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence to the Minister for Care relating to the Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions affecting disabled people

18 Mar
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families relating to the Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions aff…

23 Feb
2021

Correspondence

Correspondence to the Chair from the Equality and Human Rights Commission relating to the Committee’s recommendations in Unequal impact? Co…

25 Jan
2021

Report published

2nd Special Report - Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: interim Report on temporary provisions in the Coronavi…

22 Dec
2020

Report published

Fourth report: Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: full Report

5 Nov
2020

Correspondence

Correspondence from the Minister for Disabled People to the Chair regarding their appearance before the Committee

25 Sep
2020

Report published

1st Report - Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: interim Report on temporary provisions in the Coronavirus Act

2 Sep
2020

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions

2 Sep 2020

View on parliament.uk

Antonia Williams · HM Treasury Helen Whately MP · Department of Health and Social Care Justin Tomlinson · Department for Work and Pensions Martin Woolhead · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Sarah Baker · Disability Unit Vicky Ford · Department of Education Victoria Prentis · Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

22 Jul 2020

View on parliament.uk

Ali Fidy · Independent Provider of Special Education Advice Celia Ingham-Clark MBE · NHS England Charlotte Ramsden · Association of Directors of Children’s Services Kate Terroni · Care Quality Commission Professor Gillian Leng CBE · NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) Simon Williams · Local Government Association

24 Jun 2020

View on parliament.uk

Edel Harris · Mencap Fazilet Hadi · Disability Rights UK Ms Ayla Ozmen · Action on Hearing Loss Sarah Hughes · Centre for Mental Health

Reports 2 reports · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Fourth report: Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and acces…	HC 1050	22 Dec 2020	22	Responded
1st Report - Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access …	HC 386	25 Sep 2020	13	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 results

2 Conclusion Accepted

1st Report - Unequal impact? Coron…

Care Act easements are available as a last resort for local authorities, to help them...

Care Act easements are available as a last resort for local authorities, to help them prioritise care and support for people with higher levels of need, should resources become overstretched to a dangerous degree, potentially threatening life. We were concerned … Read more

Government Response

The government reiterates that Care Act easements should only be used when necessary, noting only eight local authorities have used them and none are currently operating under them. Engagement by Chief Social Workers found local authorities followed guidance, and the easements were used appropriately.

Government Equalities Office

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8 Recommendation Accepted

1st Report - Unequal impact? Coron…

The Coronavirus Act’s emergency changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 were intended for use...

The Coronavirus Act’s emergency changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 were intended for use as a last resort should mental health staff resources be depleted by the pandemic to the extent that people needing assessment or detention in hospital … Read more The Coronavirus Act’s emergency changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 were intended for use as a last resort should mental health staff resources be depleted by the pandemic to the extent that people needing assessment or detention in hospital become a risk to themselves or others. These provisions have not come into force in England because, through the peak of the pandemic earlier this year and to date, existing processes have proved sufficiently robust and adaptable to make them unnecessary. In these circumstances, Ministers have the power to suspend the measures and, if absolutely necessary, reinstate them at a later date. While we acknowledge that the current precarious stage of the pandemic means that the future is uncertain, evidence suggests the measures are unlikely to be needed. Furthermore, relaxing requirements for authorising people’s detention in hospital and extending or suspending time limits for detention goes directly against the grain of much- needed Mental Health Act reform. This is intended to address inequalities in the existing system, as set out in the final report of the Independent Review of the Mental Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: interim Report on temporary provisions in the Coronavirus Act 25 Health Act 1983 in December 2018. This adds impetus to the call for the emergency powers to be curtailed as soon as possible. They should not be left available “just in case”. We recommend the Government should, as a minimum, if not repeal the provisions, use its power to suspend the Mental Health Act provisions in England by Regulations and only reinstate them should mental health service providers call for their reintroduction. This would send an important signal of the Government’s support for a more just and equitable system, while leaving open the possibility of reinstating emergency measures should they be needed. Should the progress of the pandemic remain stable or improve, we recommend repeal of the measures Show less

Government Response

The government accepted the recommendation, stating that the Mental Health Act provisions were removed from the Coronavirus Act 2020 on 30 September 2020 and officially repealed in legislation on 8 December 2020.

Government Equalities Office

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Government Response AI assessment · 34 of 23 classified

Accepted 2

Accepted in Part 1

Acknowledged 9

Deferred 4

Not Addressed 13

Rejected 5

Total 23 recs + 12 conclusions

Correspondence 7 letters

17 May 2021 Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families to the Chair relating to the Committee’s report ‘Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services: full Report’

Parliament page

13 Apr 2021 Correspondence from the Minister for Care to the Chair relating to the Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions affecting disabled people

Parliament page

13 Apr 2021 Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to the Chair for Children and Families relating to the Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions affecting disabled people

Parliament page

18 Mar 2021 Correspondence to the Minister for Care relating to the Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions affecting disabled people

Parliament page

18 Mar 2021 Correspondence to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families relating to the Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions affecting disabled people

Parliament page

23 Feb 2021 Correspondence to the Chair from the Equality and Human Rights Commission relating to the Committee’s recommendations in Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services

Parliament page

5 Nov 2020 Correspondence from the Minister for Disabled People to the Chair regarding their appearance before the Committee

Parliament page