To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of online accessibility for people with disabilities.
Answered on
14 September 2023
The Government is committed to ensuring that as many people as possible, no matter their background, can overcome the barriers of digital inclusion and make the most of digital opportunities.
This includes working to remove barriers and ensure that online services are as inclusive as possible. The Government also understands the impact of poorly designed apps and websites, which do not take people with disabilities into account.
Cabinet Office manages the Government’s policy for the accessibility regulations which ensure that websites and mobile apps are designed to be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
That is why the Government Digital Service in Cabinet Office monitors the accessibility of public sector websites and mobile applications under The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. Public sector websites and mobile applications need to meet the technical standard WCAG 2.1 AA and publish an accessibility statement.
Cabinet Office published a report in December 2021 detailing what had been found through accessibility monitoring of public sector websites and apps. Although accessibility issues were found on nearly all tested websites, after sending a report to the website owner, and giving them some time to fix, 59% had fixed the issues found or had short-term timelines for when the website would be fixed. The report can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accessibility-monitoring-of-public-sector-websites-and-mobile-apps-2020-2021.
Furthermore, assisted digital support services aim to increase digital inclusion for those online users who lack digital confidence, digital skills or access to the internet and make sure that everyone, including people with disabilities and impairments, can access public services.