The Down Syndrome Act 2022 (c. 18) is an act of Parliament introduced as a

private member's bill A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in wh ...

and sponsored by

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

Liam Fox Sir Liam Fox (born 22 September 1961) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for International Trade from 2016 to 2019 and Secretary of State for Defence from 2010 to 2011. A member of the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative ...

. It was described as "world leading" by MP

Ian Paisley Jr Ian Richard Kyle Paisley Jr (born 12 December 1966) is a Northern Irish businessman and former unionist politician. A member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Antrim from 2010 to 2024, ...

and is intended to make legal provisions for people living with Down's syndrome. It was introduced by Baroness Hollins in the House of Lords.

Background

In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, it is estimated that there are 40,000 people living with the condition. The bill recognises people with Down's syndrome as a specific minority group, and ensures their specific

social care Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...

needs are met. It is the first such legislation in the world.

Support

The bill was supported by the Conservative Disability Group, Down's Syndrome Policy Group and actor Tommy Jessop. The bill had the following cross-party co-sponsors in the House of Commons:

Ben Lake Ben Morgan Lake (born 22 January 1993) is a Plaid Cymru politician who became the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ceredigion Preseli, formerly Ceredigion, in 2017. Background Lake was born in Carmarthen and brought up in Lampeter. He is the so ...

Ian Paisley Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, (6 April 1926 – 12 September 2014) was a loyalist politician and Protestant religious leader from Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 1971 to 2008 and ...

Lisa Cameron Lisa Cameron (born 8 April 1972) is a Scottish politician and former consultant clinical psychologist who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow from winning the seat at the 2015 general electio ...

, Mark Logan, Nick Fletcher,

Layla Moran Layla Michelle Moran ( ; born 12 September 1982) is a British Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrat politician. She has served as the Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee since September 2024, and has been Member of Parliamen ...

Darren Jones Darren Paul Jones (born 13 November 1986) is a British politician who has served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury since July 2024, having previously been Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from September 2023 to July 2024. A member of ...

, James Daly,

Flick Drummond Felicia Jane "Flick" Beatrix Drummond (née Shepherd; born 16 June 1962) is a British Conservative Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Meon Valley from 2019 until 2024, having previously represented Portsmouth South fr ...

and

Elliot Colburn Elliot Haydn George Colburn (born 6 August 1992) is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Carshalton and Wallington from the 2019 United ...

Criticism

Critics of the bill said that it used a medical rather than a needs-based approach to people's needs, and discriminated against people with learning disabilities caused by other conditions or with no specific diagnosis, who had similar or greater needs to those of people with Down's Syndrome. There appeared to have been little consultation with organisations such as the

Down's Syndrome Association The Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) is a British charity which describes itself as being the only organisation in the United Kingdom that focuses solely on all aspects of living successfully with Down's syndrome. The Association states its m ...

, and little was known about the newly-formed National Down Syndrome Policy Group which was supporting the bill.

Passage

On 26 November 2021, it was debated at

Second Reading A reading of a bill is a stage of debate on the bill held by a general body of a legislature. In the Westminster system, developed in the United Kingdom, there are generally three readings of a bill as it passes through the stages of becoming ...

. On 22 March 2022, an event was held at Parliament to celebrate the government announcing their support for the bill. The act received

royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in othe ...

on 28 April 2022.

External links

Down Syndrome Act 2022
at the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...

website

References

{{Reflist Social care in England Down syndrome Children's rights in the United Kingdom United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 2022 Disability rights Disability law in the United Kingdom