Disabled people will keep fighting says Labour MSP
Legislation which would support disabled children transition to adulthood has been killed off by MSPs at its first reading.
Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy put forward the legislation which would require councils in Scotland to assist disabled children into adulthood.
However the proposed bill was voted down at stage one by 90 votes to 19.
Duncan-Glancy said: “The SNP-Green Government teamed up with the Tories to deny young disabled people a fighting chance at a future.
“I brought this legislation because young disabled people and their families have been let down for far too long – left stranded without the support they need, denied their dreams and aspirations and ultimately set up to fail.
“My bill was called ‘the biggest opportunity on disability rights since devolution’, the government has missed the opportunity and denied their rights as a result.
“The SNP says we should wait and see if their approach works, but it’s been 7 years since they committed to a national transitions strategy and in that time thousands of disabled young people have been left to fall off a cliff edge.
“Today’s vote is devastating, but if there’s one thing I know it’s that we don’t give up without a fight. We fought to get this far and make no mistake – disabled people will get back up and keep on fighting.
“With this government, young people have no chance, with our bill, they’d have had a fighting chance.”
Children’s minister Natalie Don said the Scottish Government was still working on ways to improve support for disabled children transitioning to adulthood in a variety of ways but the bill was not the best way forward.
“The bill will not necessarily deliver on its laudable aims to resolve the issues experienced by disabled young people.
“But I’m sure that the focus and the priority that we are taking forward will.”
The Scottish Government is currently working on a national transition to adulthood strategy she said.
“I am pleased to confirm today that we will aim to publish the strategy by the end of next year,” she said.
“This is an integral part of our work to improve transitions for disabled young people.”
