13 March 2009

Professor Alan Miller
Chairperson
SHRC
Optima House
28 Robertson Street,
Glasgow
G2 8DU

Dear Sir,
I was disappointed but not surprised when attending a meeting of SHRC in the Rothes Halls, Glenrothes on Thursday March 12 to find that my rights under the DDA as a person with a disability had not been recognised, be it either by omission or ignorance.
Due to inadequate communication support at the meeting I was unable to hear what was being said by the speaker who also stood with her back to an illuminated screen which made it difficult to lip read her. The seating arrangement for the workshops to be carried out later in the meeting was not suitable for a person with a hearing loss, which again would have made it very difficult to participate fully. I was therefore obliged to leave. I cannot name the staff members involved as I was unable to hear their names being announced and they did not wear any name badges to identify themselves.
Your staff does not appear to be aware of their obligations towards me under the Act or indeed their own duties as organisers of the meeting. I wonder actually if indeed they have heard of or read the Act as blame for the situation was put on the staff of the Halls. Blame cannot be put on Rothes Halls as under the Act it is the organiser of the meeting who has the duty.

As the welcome on the home page of your web site states:

"The SHRC has a vision of a modern, outward-looking and fairer Scotland – where social progress is achieved through a rights-based approach, and where human dignity, equality and participation are guaranteed for all."

You were not outward looking in organising this meeting, and is it a fairer Scotland when a disabled person has to overcome obvious barriers to be able to be heard?
How can social progress be achieved when such barriers are in place?
My rights under the DDA were ignored, my dignity was not preserved in that I was forced to stand up and make a declaration, and I was not treated equally never mind more favourably as the Act allows, and participation was certainly not guaranteed.
So much for your vision.

You also state that:
"We will identify and advocate best practice within public authorities, monitor law and policy in Scotland, and, where necessary, recommend changes."

I ask how you can advocate best practice when you do not practice it yourself and how can you monitor law if you either do not know it or ignore it?
If any changes are to be recommended it is that you yourself as a body get it right first before telling others what to do.

     How can you expect people to help you with ideas for your strategic plan when you place such obvious obstacles in their path?
Also if you consult the Act, it should be involvement and not consultation which you should be asking for in this task.

I feel that an explanation and response is due to me and look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Jack Carr
Spokesperson on Hearing Impairment.