Summary Territorial coverage Part 2: Disability Discrimination in Education
9.The Government announced, in October 1997, that it would establish a Disability Rights Task Force (DRTF) to advise it on how to secure comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people.
10.The DRTF was established in December 1997, comprising representatives of disability organisations, business, trade unions, local government and the health service, from across the UK.
11.The DRTF reported on the role and function of a Disability Rights Commission (DRC) in April 1998. In October 1998, the Government published a White Paper entitled Promoting Disabled People's Rights: Creating a Disability Rights Commission fit for the 21st Century (Cm 3977). The Disability Rights Commission Bill received Royal Assent in July 1999. The DRC has been up and running since 25 April 2000.
12.The final report of the DRTF From Exclusion to Inclusion was published on 13 December 1999 and covered all aspects of disabled people's lives: defining disability, education, employment, access to goods and services, travel, housing and the environment, participation in public life and local government, health and social services. Part 2 of the Act addresses the key education recommendations of the report that required primary legislation and amends Part 4 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) to introduce rights for disabled people in education.
13.Publicly-funded providers of education services and private schools are currently exempted from Part 3 of the DDA by virtue of sections 19(5)(a) to (ab) and 19(6) of that Act. These provisions are repealed by this Act and the exemption removed. The effect of this is that any provider of education previously exempted from Part 3 and not covered by the new Part 4 duties becomes subject to the duties in Part 3 of the DDA.