Kim Catcheside: Campaigners say the Commission must be properly funded

The independent watchdog would promote equal opportunities, advise people of their rights, sponsor legal cases and monitor discrimination.

Unlike some other commissions it would have the power to bring cases against those who breach its codes.

RADAR's Alan Thomas: "Adequate funding is vital"

Disabled rights groups support the plan as long as it includes proper provision for funding the commission. They say it would need at least £15m to £20m to be effective.

"We want the new commission to be funded at least to the same levels as the pre-existing commissions on race and gender," said Alan Thomas, the parliamentary officer of RADAR, which campaigns on behalf of disabled people.

He told the BBC that cases involving the disabled were complicated and costly because they involved representing people who needed extra help, improved access to buildings and transcription of cases into formats such as braille.

Fears over accountability

Under the proposals the employment secretary would appoint up to 15 commissioners, a majority of whom should be disabled people, who would take up the role in a personal capacity, not as representatives of any particular organisation.

But the Disabled People's Direct Action Network, which attempts to highlight cases of discrimination has expressed some doubts over its accountability.

DPDAN's Alan Holdsworth: "The commission should concentrate on better transport and education"

"So far as we understand they are all going to be government appointees and therefore not quite as independent as we'd like them to be," the DPDAN's national organiser, Alan Holdsworth.

"We'd rather they be representative of organisation for disabled people on whose behalf they are supposedly working."

He also told BBC Radio 5 Live that the commission should focus less on employment and more on education and improving public transport giving disabled people qualifications and the ability to get to work.

"The focus is really unemployment and I think that really is putting the cart before the horse. What we need to do is get people to work before we say 'Well, you've got a job but you can't get to it'."

Full details of the proposed Disability Rights Commission Bill, which was announced in last month's Queen's Speech, are to be published later on Friday.

The proposals for a Disability Rights Commission were outlined in July's Promoting Disabled People's Rights white paper.

The proposed structure would set up a single commission for the UK with offices in Scotland and Wales.