LDDA - The Liberal Democrat Disability Association

Ian Swales MP for Redcar is continuing his campaign on behalf of ME sufferers by hosting a drop-in event for MPs and Peers today in Parliament. The event, in conjunction with the charity Action for ME, will give Parliamentarians the chance to learn more about the condition and to meet some people affected by the disease.

MP Mark Hunter has teamed up with TV presenter and former carer Fiona Phillips to support this year's Carers Week (18-24 June) and recognise the contribution made by those people in Cheadle and throughout the UK who provide unpaid care for someone who is ill, frail or disabled. The work they carry out is vital for their families and friends, and for their communities.

Planned changes to disability benefits will go ahead, the Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said, insisting that reform is needed. It has emerged half a million people are to lose the Disability Living Allowance over the next four years. But Mr Duncan Smith told the Daily Telegraph the number of people claiming it had risen by 30% in recent years, with many people "allowed to fester". Labour said he was approaching reform with "contempt and carelessness".

Redcar and Cleveland Labour Run Council have announced that they are considering charging all disabled blue badge holders to park in all council run off street car parks. Of those 25 car parks, there are 79 bays that are specifically marked for disabled badge holders only. All residents who hold blue badges were notified of this possible change by letter today (14^th May 2012).

Parents are to be given more financial control over support for children with special educational needs, in a major shake-up of the system in England. The government says it wants to push ahead with proposals announced last year that parents should have a "personal budget" for their children. The changes could also see fewer children in the special needs category.

Malcolm Bruce is backing a campaign by leading deafness campaigners which calls on the telecommunications industry to take action to improve deaf people's access to telecommunications. In an open letter to the Chief Executives of BT, O2, Vodafone, Three, Talk Talk, KCom, Virgin Media, Everything Everywhere and BskyB, the signatories including deaf charities, key MPs and other stakeholders state that the industry is failing to address inequalities by delaying the introduction of specialised relay services, which allow deaf people to use telecommunications. The publication of the letter comes during Deaf Awareness Week.

Welcome to my first article on this website - my aim is to look events from the point of view of disability issues

I was asked to come on here and help edit the site at the spring conference in gateshead, however to be honest since recoving from the rush of conference I was fully engage in the local election and have only just recovered from both the effort and very disapointing results. The saddiest thing about this is that in our town we had record low turnouts (16% in some cases). I know a some of this may have been to do with supporters of the coalision parties staying at home but there is a big problem with engaging people in the voting process.

Cases of osteoarthritis in Britain look set to double to over 17 million by 2030, according to experts. A report by the charity Arthritis Care says the predicted rise is down to the UK's ageing population and growing obesity problem. Experts estimate that by 2030 over half of the UK population will be aged 50 or older and nearly the same proportion will be obese.

A draft bill on overhauling care and support for elderly and disabled people in England has been announced in the Queen's Speech. The bill will put "people in control of their care and give them greater choice," ministers say.

The contentious issue of how social care is paid for is still unclear. This week, charities and the Local Government Association called for radical change to prevent people being left "living in misery and fear". Discussions are currently taking place between the political parties on how social care should be reformed. A White Paper was expected before Easter, but is now due to be published later this month or in June.

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, has met with 14 year old constituent and disabled rights champion Nathan Popple to discuss the future of wheelchair accessibility in Leeds.

Nathan, who attends Ralph Thoresby High School in Holt Park, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Earlier this year, frustrated at being unable to access a Leeds bowling alley due it having steps Nathan set up a website called accessibleleeds.com in which he charts the accessibility of venues in Leeds. Upon hearing about the work of his constituent and Whizz Kidz Ambassador Nathan, Greg Mulholland MP tabled a Parliamentary Motion in support of Nathan's work and also to recognise the difficulties faced by wheelchair users in accessing many public places. Greg Mulholland is Chair on the Parliamentary Paediatric Mobility Group which is sponsored by Whizz Kidz and he has recently been nominated as Children's Champion in the Dods Charity Champion Awards 2012.