House labour committee on Tuesday discussed plans to modernise the decades-old disability pension law. Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou told the committee that preparations are underway for a new bill to change the rules, aiming to address delays and inequalities in the current system.

“The aim is to enhance the current framework,” Panayiotou said after the session, confirming the government’s intention to submit the draft bill.

Committee chairman and Akel MP Andreas Kafkalias said the matter has been discussed in Parliament for years. He welcomed the government’s announcement but stressed the need to see the bill soon. 

“Political will is important, but even more important is having the bill before us,” he said, expressing hope the proposal will arrive before the end of the year.

During the discussion, Disy MP Charalambos Pazaros noted he had already submitted a bill on the matter. He highlighted the wider impact on families, where spouses often leave work to care for relatives, reducing household income. Pazaros proposed creating a list of serious illnesses to speed up pension approval.

The committee agreed there is a need to update the law. Work on the proposed legislation will continue, with the aim of submitting it before year’s end.