• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / Politics / Cameron downgrades minister for disabled people

Cameron downgrades minister for disabled people

By John Pring on 22nd May 2015 Category: Politics

Listen

The new government has downgraded the importance of the role of the minister for disabled people, just days after winning the general election.

The ministerial post had previously been a junior ministerial role until the October 2013 appointment of Mike Penning, who became a minister of state.

At the time, Penning said: “Making this a senior ministerial post shows the government’s commitment to disabled people and ensuring everyone can get on in life.”

His successor as minister for disabled people, Mark Harper, was also a minister of state.

But following last week’s announcements by prime minister David Cameron of his new government, it has emerged that the new minister for disabled people, Justin Tomlinson (pictured), will be merely a junior minister, or under-secretary.

Kate Green, Labour’s shadow minister for disabled people, said: “What disabled people need and deserve is a minister who understands the issues, commands respect of colleagues and will stand up for their rights.

“Downgrading the role in government calls into question the importance David Cameron gives to the interests of disabled people.”

Since his appointment, Tomlinson has not responded to a request from Disability News Service for an interview.

Despite Penning’s comments in 2013, a spokesman for Number 10 said: “The status of the office of minister for disabled people remains unchanged.

“Ministerial ranks are based on the experience of the office holder and do not have any bearing on the importance of the office itself.”

When asked whether this contradicted the remarks made by Penning, he refused to comment further.

Share this post:

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on Reddit

Tags: David Cameron Justin Tomlinson Minister for disabled people

Related

Universal credit boss defends years of misleading information
19th May 2022
Regulator pressure forces DWP to admit: One million ESA claimants will lose out under UC
28th April 2022
SEN green paper suggests government is finally dumping Cameron’s ‘end the bias’ policy
31st March 2022

Primary Sidebar

Image shows a man wearing glasses sitting by an open laptop The text reads: Free Career Support for Disabled People Our services include: 1-2-1 Coaching Online Career Resources Find Support near you Search for Inclusive Jobs Career Events and Workshops Visit the Evenbreak Career Hive today to find out how we can help you

Access

Latest Stories

Grenfell: Call for action over government’s ‘deplorable’ decision on evacuation plans

‘Severely neglected’ man found dead, three months after DWP assessment

Government brands DNS ‘vexatious’ for trying to obtain info on 90 DWP deaths

Government’s ‘milestone’ disability jobs stats ‘are meaningless when it comes to equality’

Concern over offensive LGBT+ comments at access awards event

Universal credit boss defends years of misleading information

Discrimination could be a cause of increased risk of Covid death, says ONS

Access to Work in crisis as figures show ‘massive’ waiting-list

Queen’s speech: Activists’ message to Patel over new protest bill: ‘We fight on’

Queen’s speech: Six bills that may change disabled people’s lives, for better and for worse

Advice and Information

The Department for Work and Pensions: Deaths, cover-up, and a toxic 30-year legacy

Readspeaker

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2022 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web