The Autism Bill could become law
The Autism Bill has been introduced into parliament as a private members bill, having been drafted by the National Autistic Society. Normally this would stand little chance of becoming law but it has seen and upswell of positive opinion in the Commons, and there is now a chance that it will be taken up.
It is is accepted it will force local authorities to monitor the number of autistic children and young people in its area, and give them the statutory duty to offer effective services for them.
In February the government already pledged to push local authorities to provide appropriate support to children with autism – although it is very doubtful if any money would be given to help councils meet this legal obligation.
Mark Lever, chief executive of the NAS said, “This is a landmark victory for the thousands of people with autism who say they feel isolated and ignored. There is still a long way to go, but we look forward to working with the government during the bill’s committee stage to secure a brighter future for people with autism”.