Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has to (a) transpose the European Accessibility Act 2019 into UK law or (b) bring forward legislative proposals to ensure ensure equivalent or enhanced protections for disabled people after the transition period; and if he will make a statement.

The deadline for transposing the European Accessibility Act (EAA) is 27 June 2022. As the Government has committed not to extend the Transition Period the UK will not be required to transpose the EAA.

The UK already has robust legislation on accessibility through the protections covered by the Equality Act 2006, Equality Act 2010, and equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland. The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination on grounds of disability and imposes a duty on providers of goods and services to make reasonable adjustments to prevent this.

The Government will consider how further to improve or enhance accessibility through domestic legislation, including by using emerging technologies to develop innovative solutions to accessibility challenges, and provide real benefit to citizens with disabilities over the years ahead.