Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for including specific provisions for (1) dyslexia, and (2) other long-term difficulties with literacy, in the Equality Act 2010 in order to improve the provision of assistance for people with such conditions.

The Equality Act 2010 provides protection for any person with a condition that meets the Act’s definition of disability – that is, “a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-day activities.”

The 2010 Act does not, except in a few specific instances, mention by name the conditions that automatically fall within the definition of disability.

This is because in most cases, it is the impact on the person’s life that is the qualifying criteria rather than the condition itself. The only specified disabilities in the Act are Cancer, HIV and Multiple Sclerosis.