GDI Hub 2020 Comprehensive Spending Review Representation to HM Treasury

In September 2020, GDI Hub and the Policy Impact Unit at University College London published their consultation response to HM Treasury on the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Summary

• In order to strength the UK’s place in the world, investment by the UK Government internationally could lead the world in Disability Innovation, resulting in progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), delivering on Human Rights Commitments and continue to building the UK’s leadership in science, particularly regarding assistive technologies and its relevant industries. Spending on international aid, particularly where focused on supporting the most excluded groups, should not decline.
• The inclusion of disabled people, who have been particularly hard hit by COVID, must remain a priority at home and abroad, and so must UK-led science partnerships which are breaking new ground nationally and internationally.
  
• The development of market-leading product designs for assistive and accessible technologies (AT) should be expanded, with adequate budget allocated to ensure the UK continues to lead.
  
• Using our diplomacy and expertise to build up distributed manufacturing capacity globally will help our products reach millions who are in need.
  
• A focus on using what we have learned internationally on AT and delivering a joined-up UK AT approach would not only deliver on government commitments around efficiency, access to work and improved service delivery, but would also represent possibly the most ambitious plan for AT this country has ever seen. This should be invested in, and a central commitment in the forthcoming National Strategy for Disabled People.

See the Government's policy paper on the 2020 spending review for further information.

For information, please contact Katherine.Perry@ucl.ac.uk