Home / Sources / Select Committees / International Development Com… / FCDO and disability-inclusive developme…
Index live · Last sync 22 May 2026
Select Committee · International Development Committee

FCDO and disability-inclusive development

Status: Closed Opened: 12 Jul 2023 Closed: 23 May 2024 8 recommendations 9 conclusions 1 report

Report and Government response published This inquiry considered consider the adequacy and effectiveness of the FCDO’s disability and inclusion rights strategy, launched in February 2022, including the consequences for disability-inclusive programmes of the decision to cut aid spending from 0.7% to 0.5% of GNI. Stakeholders noted that Organisations of Persons with Disabilities are consulted arbitrarily …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - FCDO and disability-inclusive development HC 107 4 Apr 2024 17 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
1 Conclusion Third Report - FCDO and disability-incl… Deferred

FCDO knew ODA cuts would significantly harm people with disabilities despite global leadership.

Globally, the UK has been at the forefront of advancing disability inclusion across development programmes. However, as equality impact assessments published in recent years confirm, the FCDO knew that Official Development Assistance cuts would significantly harm people with disabilities. (Paragraph 12) Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy 2022–30

Government response. The FCDO's response focuses on the disability strategy's delivery plan, stating that the updated plan will be published following the completion of a strategy review process currently underway. This does not directly address the committee's observation that FCDO knew ODA …
7 Conclusion Third Report - FCDO and disability-incl… Deferred

Introduce Department-wide targets on disability inclusion by March 2025, reporting progress by September.

The FCDO must introduce Department-wide targets on disability inclusion, as measured by the OECD-DAC markers, by March 2025, reporting progress to this Committee by September 2025. (Paragraph 38) Data collection

Government response. The FCDO's response focuses on the importance of engaging Organisations of People with Disabilities (OPDs) and has published guidance for staff, stating it will consider additional commitments as part of an upcoming delivery plan review. This does not address the …
8 Conclusion Third Report - FCDO and disability-incl… Deferred

FCDO has failed to implement its commitments on disaggregated disability data collection.

The FCDO acknowledges the importance of disaggregated data collection, and has in the past made repeated commitments to disaggregate data by disability. However, as acknowledged by the Second Permanent Under-Secretary at the FCDO, Nick Dyer, this has not been undertaken. We fail to understand how the FCDO and disability-inclusive development …

Government response. The government's response addresses a recommendation for the FCDO to lead government efforts on disability inclusion in humanitarian and climate change policies, acknowledging its importance but stating the scope is beyond the Disability Inclusion Team's capacity. This response completely avoids …

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
23 Jan 2024 Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office View ↗
17 Oct 2023 Anna Landre · Disaster Strategies, Iryna Tekuchova · Fight for Right, Kevin Sudi · CBM, Ms Lauren Watters · Able Child Africa, Ophia Bwanali · Leonard Cheshire Zimbabwe, Sunday Isiyaku · Sightsavers View ↗