Rights campaigners have reacted with anger to the news that Downing Street will not appoint a new dedicated minister of state for disabled people, describing it as an “appalling and retrograde move”.
The position had been vacant since Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle last week, which the disability charity Scope said was the longest gap without a minister in post in the past 30 years.
Its director of strategy, James Taylor, who described the move as appalling and retrograde, added: “What kind of message does this give to Britain’s 16 million disabled people? That in the middle of a cost of living crisis we are now less important?”
The previous minister for disabled people, Tom Pursglove, was made minister for legal migration this month.
Mims Davies has been appointed minister for disabled people, but she remains a parliamentary undersecretary of state rather than becoming a minister of state, which Labour described as a “downgrade” of the post.
Vicky Foxcroft, the Labour MP and shadow minister for disabled people, said it was “outrageous it took the government so long to finally agree to appoint a minister for disabled people”.
She said: “When they finally do, they have demoted the role to parliamentary undersecretary of state and the role was previously minister of state. Disabled people deserve better than this.”
A government spokesperson said Davies would “build upon this government’s track record of supporting disabled people, having delivered millions of cost of living payments and helping over 1 million more disabled people into work five years earlier than planned”.
“The minister will help ensure there is always a strong safety net for the most vulnerable in our society, while tearing down barriers so that every disabled person can realise their potential and thrive.”
A call had been made by the national disability charity Sense for a dedicated minister to be appointed as soon as possible to ensure the interests of disabled people were represented at a time of crisis.
Sarah White, the head of policy at the charity, said: “Disabled people have been hit hard by cuts to social care and the cost of living crisis, and are battling rising prices that have pushed far too many into debt.”
A No 10 spokesperson earlier denied that the role was being downgraded, given that the government now had two ministers responsible for migration.
“It’s not right. We will have a minister for disabled people who will lead on that important work,” the prime minister’s official spokesperson said. “What you will continue to see is a government showing strong support for disabled people and for disabled issues.”
Claire Coutinho, Esther McVey and Mark Harper are current cabinet ministers who have previously held the dedicated role, which has been in existence since the 1990s.
Foxcroft and others also cited the absence of the publication of a disability action plan, which had been expected before the end of the year, and what she said was a “hardline” approach taken to compel people with disabilities into work without proper support.
There was strong criticism from charities last month when it emerged in the autumn statement that people with mobility and mental health problems would be asked to work from home or lose benefits.
Changes announced by the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, were part of a £2.5bn back-to-work plan to get more long-term unemployed people and those with health conditions and disabilities to seek employment.
Hunt said it was a “waste of potential” that more than 100,000 people were signed off every year on to benefits with no requirement to look for work because of sickness or disability.
