Recommendation 17

HM Government · verbatim extract Acknowledged

Where possible and appropriate, the Government seeks to engage with disabled people as part of its decision making. The Disability Unit has undertaken extensive engagement with disabled people in preparation of the UK National Strategy for Disabled People. This includes hosting numerous online workshops and roundtable meetings on a whole raft of themes and cross-cutting issues, such as: Transitions to Adulthood and Outcomes; Being Part of a Community; Internet and Website Accessibility; Accessible Built Environment; Assistive Tech and Economic recovery to name a few. The Unit has worked across government with a plethora of stakeholders representing many disabled people and ensuring a wide section of impairments are covered, such as Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee meetings - DfT’s statutory advisory committee. 12 Fourth Special Report of Session 2019–21 The Disability Unit recognises that research conducted by disabled people, or focused on their everyday experiences can often illuminate these experiences in a way that traditional research cannot. Which is why the unit has also undertaken specific research focused on the lived experiences of disabled people to inform the strategy which will also invite public policy makers to draw on this type of work as a key source of insight in the future. This is all in addition to the numerous discussions with existing stakeholders fora, such as the Disabled Charities Consortium, the Disabled Peoples’ Organisations Forum, and the Regional Stakeholder Networks. All of these fora are connected to other networks and groups. For example, one of the RSN regional groups undertook some lived experience information gathering research which provided valuable insight from nearly 400 disabled people. The Disability Unit has also undertaken work to ensure a wide variety of disabled people are provided the opportunity to share their views through the UK Disability Survey, launched on 15 January 2021. As of 8 March 2021, over 15,000 people had responded. The survey seeks views from disabled people, parents and carers, and the wider public and forms an important part of our wider engagement with disabled people to inform the strategy and guide public policy making in the future. The Minister for Disabled People has regular engagement with disability stakeholders, individually and in fora like the Disability Charities Consortium. As part of its COVID-19 vaccine deployment deliberations, the Minister for Disabled People and Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment both attended the DCC meeting on 26 January 2021. This was attended by a consortium of 10 of the UK’s largest disability charities. Both Ministers fielded questions from the DCC and members of the Regional Disability Stakeholder Network - a network of 225 disabled people, their organisations, parents and carers across 9 regions in England. The issues raised were then fed into the Vaccine Deployment teams for their consideration, and have helped improve overall plans. Furthermore, The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) places a strong emphasis on engaging with stakeholders to inform health and disability policy. The Department has hosted a series of workshops across the country where local disability organisations and disabled people have shared their experiences of DWP services and priorities for future changes. DWP has continued this engagement since Covid-19 with a series of virtual events with charities and disabled people. This is in addition to engagement through existing forums with national organisations. The Green Paper will be strongly influenced by the views of disabled people and representatives from disability organisations, drawing on the significant engagement conducted so far and from future events. Diversity and inclusion in practice