My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, on his persistence and I support the Bill in general. I again declare an interest as the father of a daughter with severe intellectual impairment. If I have a doubt about the Bill, it is that it does not appear...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, on his persistence and I support the Bill in general. I again declare an interest as the father of a daughter with severe intellectual impairment. If I have a doubt about the Bill, it is that it does not appear...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley of Stoke, on his unremitting pursuit over the years for better facilities for disabled people. I am sure all noble Lords will agree with the aim of the Bill that: "““disabled persons enjoy the same choice, freedom, dignity, control and substantive...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley of Stoke, on his unremitting pursuit over the years for better facilities for disabled people. I am sure all noble Lords will agree with the aim of the Bill that: "““disabled persons enjoy the same choice, freedom, dignity, control and substantive...

My Lords, for more than 25 years now, I have been actively campaigning for disabled people to have the right to independent living and I wish that I had the lung power to regale the House with stories of how independent living has transformed disabled people’s lives, from watching daytime...

My Lords, for more than 25 years now, I have been actively campaigning for disabled people to have the right to independent living and I wish that I had the lung power to regale the House with stories of how independent living has transformed disabled people’s lives, from watching daytime...

My Lords, it is a privilege to take part in this debate. I welcome the Bill and congratulate most sincerely the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, on introducing it. It will empower disabled people in actions and decisions related to accommodation, care and payments, and will promote equality and human rights....

My Lords, it is a privilege to take part in this debate. I welcome the Bill and congratulate most sincerely the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, on introducing it. It will empower disabled people in actions and decisions related to accommodation, care and payments, and will promote equality and human rights....

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, on persisting with this excellent Bill and on giving us a chance to debate the key disability issues of today. I pay tribute to the three noble Baronesses who have spoken before me for their wonderful campaigning work on these issues...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, on persisting with this excellent Bill and on giving us a chance to debate the key disability issues of today. I pay tribute to the three noble Baronesses who have spoken before me for their wonderful campaigning work on these issues...

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time, in both senses—in the parliamentary sense of a Second Reading and in the sense that this is the second time that the Bill has been before the House. As noble Lords will know, it is...

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time, in both senses—in the parliamentary sense of a Second Reading and in the sense that this is the second time that the Bill has been before the House. As noble Lords will know, it is...

My Lords, the noble Lord’s point will be respected and discussed in Committee. We will do anything we can to meet that point.

My Lords, the noble Lord’s point will be respected and discussed in Committee. We will do anything we can to meet that point.

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, on his amazing tenacity in fighting for a better deal for disabled people all round. My eyes were opened to the plight of disabled people when I was asked to chair a government committee of inquiry into services for disabled...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, on his amazing tenacity in fighting for a better deal for disabled people all round. My eyes were opened to the plight of disabled people when I was asked to chair a government committee of inquiry into services for disabled...

My Lords, I am sorry. It comes from being a dyslexic, I am afraid. We make mistakes. The noble Baroness pointed out that the lucky and the brilliant get through the current system; it is that simple. It may be better now than it was—as the noble Baroness said, let...

My Lords, I am sorry. It comes from being a dyslexic, I am afraid. We make mistakes. The noble Baroness pointed out that the lucky and the brilliant get through the current system; it is that simple. It may be better now than it was—as the noble Baroness said, let...

Lady Campbell.

Lady Campbell.

My Lords, I made the crack several years ago on a disability matter that the usual suspects were queueing up to speak again. The noble Lord, Lord Ashley, is probably the very distinguished head of that queue. The noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, comes in with me as a new member...

My Lords, I made the crack several years ago on a disability matter that the usual suspects were queueing up to speak again. The noble Lord, Lord Ashley, is probably the very distinguished head of that queue. The noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, comes in with me as a new member...

My Lords, I once again pay tribute to my extraordinary noble friend Lord Ashley and celebrate his unceasing efforts over many years in furthering the interests of disabled people and his many achievements in the field. I am proud that this amazing, tenacious person really is my noble friend. He...

My Lords, I once again pay tribute to my extraordinary noble friend Lord Ashley and celebrate his unceasing efforts over many years in furthering the interests of disabled people and his many achievements in the field. I am proud that this amazing, tenacious person really is my noble friend. He...

My Lords, it has been an excellent debate and some remarkably perceptive speeches have been made. I think that, having heard the speeches of noble Lords, the whole House will now be far better informed on issues of disability. I am very grateful to all those who took part in...

My Lords, it has been an excellent debate and some remarkably perceptive speeches have been made. I think that, having heard the speeches of noble Lords, the whole House will now be far better informed on issues of disability. I am very grateful to all those who took part in...

My Lords, I am most grateful. I was going to propose that. It is in this context that I should again reveal that my daughter, who is now 27, is very fortunate to live in a Rudolf Steiner Camphill community, one of many intentional communities around the country. These communities...

My Lords, I am most grateful. I was going to propose that. It is in this context that I should again reveal that my daughter, who is now 27, is very fortunate to live in a Rudolf Steiner Camphill community, one of many intentional communities around the country. These communities...

Disabled Persons (Independent Living) Bill (HL). Lords second reading debate. Agreed to on question and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Disabled Persons (Independent Living) Bill (HL). Lords second reading debate. Agreed to on question and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.