Capability Scotland hosts 'Fulfilling Your Potential' talks between DWP and Scottish disability organisations

Scotland must have more resources if it is to deliver an independent future for disabled people. That's what Scottish disability organisations will be telling the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) when they meet today in Edinburgh.

The meeting at Capability Scotland's Head Office is part of the UK Government's 'Fulfilling Your Potential' discussion.   This is a national consultation which aims to gather disabled people's views about what the UK Government needs to do to enable people to live as independently as possible and play a full role in society.

The information from this meeting and other consultation events and forums will be used in the development of the UK Government's new disability strategy which is expected to be published in the spring.

Many of the topics up for discussion, including education, transport, health, employability and social care, are devolved issues and are therefore actually the responsibility of the Scottish Government. As Scotland has a higher proportion of disabled people than the rest of the UK, the meeting will provide a vital opportunity for Scotland to make its case for increased resources to ensure a more independent future for disabled people and their families.

In addition to Capability Scotland, other disability organisations attending today's meeting include Sense Scotland, RNIB, SDEF, and Action on Hearing Loss.

Capability Scotland Director of External Affairs, Richard Hamer, said: "Capability Scotland is delighted to be hosting this meeting.  It is a great opportunity to ensure that the views Scotland's disabled people are included in the Westminster Government's proposed strategy. Scotland has a higher proportion of disabled people and this must be reflected in how the Government allocates resources to take this strategy forward.  The meeting will also give us another chance to highlight our concerns about how the disabled people will be affected by the Welfare Reform Bill which is currently making its way through UK Parliament."