Concordat between the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee and the Disability Rights Commission

Introduction

1. This concordat is made between the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) and the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). It covers the working relationship between the Chair, Members and Officials of both organisations.

Objective

2. DPTAC and the DRC are statutory bodies concerned with important issues affecting disabled people. Both organisations are committed to working effectively to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people and an end to the discrimination that they face. Both organisations will work in a co-ordinated way to maximise the ability of disabled people to use all forms of transport. The aim of this concordat is to promote good communications and working relationships between the two organisations. There will inevitably be occasions when there is overlap in our activities and this concordat is intended to ensure that when this happens our work is complementary.

3. This concordat is a voluntary arrangement between DPTAC and the DRC. It does not create any legally enforceable rights or obligations.

Role of DRC and DPTAC

4. The DRC was established by the Disability Rights Commission Act 1999 to help secure civil rights for disabled people. Its statutory duties are:

• to work to eliminate discrimination against disabled people.
• to promote equal opportunities for disabled people.
• to encourage good practice in the treatment of disabled people.
• to advise the Government on the working of disability legislation (the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 and the Disability Rights Commission Act 1999).

5. DPTAC was established under Section 125 of the Transport Act 1985 to consider any matter, relating to the needs of disabled persons in connection with public passenger transport, which is referred to them by the Secretary of State or that they think it is appropriate to consider without such a reference and to give such advice on the Secretary of State on any matter that they have considered as they think appropriate. Ministers have invited DPTAC to provide similar advice on the needs of disabled persons in connection with the built environment, and welcomed their views on a wider range of transport issues, including personal mobility (e.g. the Blue Badge Scheme).

Implementation

6. In relation to transport and built environment matters DPTAC and the DRC will:

• invite respective observers at principal meetings, these being DPTAC Main Committee and Built Environment Working Group and DRC Commission meetings;
• arrange regular meetings between officials to share information and promote co-ordination;
• copy correspondence to respective Ministers and senior officials where the content is relevant to the other organisation's responsibilities;
• share information, analysis and research, where such arrangements would be of mutual benefit;
• inform each other of any relevant information that comes to their attention that may require action by the other party;
• seek to involve each other, as and when appropriate, in policy advice on topics that affect the other's responsibilities, or be used or adapted by the other; and
• inform each other at the earliest practicable stage of substantive public announcements that may be relevant to the other's responsibilities.

7. DPTAC and the DRC will consider the scope for co-ordinating the preparation and cross-checking of their Codes of Practice and other published guidance, with the aim of ensuring compatibility and consistency where appropriate. They will also consider whether to issue their respective guidance as part of a joint package. The aim will be to ensure clarity and to avoid confusion for those to whom the guidance is addressed.

8. In preparing publicity campaigns, DPTAC and the DRC will consider in advance whether co-ordinated campaigns would be mutually beneficial and co-operate on delivery where this is appropiate and to the extent that resources permit.

Joint working

9. DPTAC and the DRC will invite each other to nominate members of working groups, sub-committees or other ad-hoc arrangements that work on areas of mutual interest.

Interpretation

10. As this concordat indicates, DPTAC and the DRC will exchange information and inform or consult each other about a wide range of issues in a wide range of situations. The concordat is not, however, intended to be an exhaustive description of every aspect of the relationship between the organisations, or to preclude communication between them about other issues or in other situations.

11. This concordat is framed in terms of the interface between DPTAC and the DRC; it is not intended to imply that communications on issues covered by the concordat should not, also involve other organisations; indeed that may be the most effective way of conducting business.

Confidentiality

12. DPTAC and the DRC will not disclose unpublished information to third parties without the permission of the organisation providing the information, subject to the requirements of the law and other obligations.

13. DRC Casework Services operate strict rules of confidentiality, which may prevent disclosure of information that might otherwise have be shared with DPTAC under the terms of this concordat. Similarly government departments may seek confidential advice from DPTAC on sensitive policy areas from time to time.

Review and renewal of concordat

14. DPTAC or the DRC may propose alterations to this concordat at any time. Annexes may be added, removed or amended separately from the main section, as and when the need arises, by agreement between DPTAC and the DRC. This concordat will be reviewed at three yearly intervals.

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