CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE INDEPENDENT LIVING FUND

That this House commends and supports campaigners in their ongoing fight to save the Independent Living Fund (ILF) on which nearly 18,000 disabled people with high-support needs rely to live with choice and control in life instead of going into residential care; notes the failure of the High Court case taken by two ILF recipients to stop the Government closing the ILF in June 2015, while noting the judge's comment that the Minister was made fully aware of the inevitable and considerable adverse effect that closure would have on disabled people; further notes that the judge declined to rule on whether the closure may put the UK in breach of its international obligations to advance disabled people's rights to independent living and equality of opportunity under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and reminds all parliamentarians that, as part of Operation Disabled Vote, manifestos and pledges will be measured against the precepts of international human rights as well as of social justice by 12.2 million disabled voters.