These Regulations impose duties on specified public authorities with the aim of assisting them to perform better their duties to promote equality of opportunity for disabled persons under section 49A(1) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005).

Regulation 2 requires specified public authorities to publish by 4th December 2006 a Disability Equality Scheme and prescribes the various components of such a Scheme. The authorities are required to publish a revised scheme every three years thereafter.

Regulation 3 requires certain education bodies listed in Part II of the Schedule to make arrangements for each school under its management to do certain tasks including providing it with an annual report in relation to those matters.

Regulation 4 requires the public authorities to implement stipulated components of the Disability Equality Scheme they published pursuant to regulation 2.

Regulation 5 requires those same public authorities to report annually on the implementation of their Disability Equality Scheme.

Regulation 6 requires the Scottish Ministers to publish annual reports with an overview of progress made towards equality of opportunity for disabled persons. The first report is to be published no later than 1st December 2008 and every three years thereafter.

The Schedule has three parts listing the authorities to whom the specific duties will apply.

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect this instrument will have on the costs of business is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, Scottish Parliament, EH99 1SP.