Mencap at the Labour Party Conference

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Spending cuts were on the agenda at Mencap's Labour Party Conference fringe event

Speaking at Mencap's fringe event at this year's Labour Party Conference in Manchester, shadow health minister Barbara Keeley MP expressed her fears that planned spending cuts will have an impact on social care services.

Co-hosted with the MS Society and the National Autistic Society, the event focused on the reform of social care for disabled adults of a working age. The event was chaired by Trevor Phillips of the Equality Human Rights Commission, and attendees also heard from Richard Howitt MEP, Labour's disability spokesperson.

Barbara Keeley MP said that her party's vision of social care is based on prevention and well-being, enshrined eligibility criteria, a joined-up assessment, information and advice about care and support, personalised care and support and fair funding.

She also added that many people failed to understand that social care was not free. She said this was difficult for carers, and that everyone acknowledged there was unfairness in the current system.

Mencap will host a similar event at the Conservative Party Conference on 5 October. This will see minister for disabled people Maria Miller MP speak on the same issue. Trevor Phillips will also speak, and the meeting will be chaired by Max Wind-Cowie, head of the Conservatism Project at the leading think-tank DEMOS.

This year, Mencap – along with the National Autistic Society and the MS Society – is hosting a fringe event at each of three main party conferences, focusing on the reform of social care for disabled adults of a working age.

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