Government ensures blind and partially sighted people are protected by DDA

The Disability Discrimination (Blind and Partially Sighted Persons)
Regulations 2003 were laid before Parliament on 17 March 2003. The regulations will come into force on 14 April 2003.

The Regulations will make clear that people who are certified blind or partially sighted will be deemed disabled for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This will ensure that blind and partially sighted people cannot be discriminated against in employment, in relation to the supply of goods, facilities and services, in the disposal of premises and in education. They will also benefit from the provisions in the Act which are designed to facilitate disabled persons' access to certain types of public transport.

These regulations are in response to the Disability Rights Task Force (DRTF) report 'From Exclusion to Inclusion', published in 1999, which made a number of recommendations for Government action and follow the Government's publication 'Towards Inclusion' which set out its commitments for future action.