In News

The UK Government has announced that a new Disability Action Plan will be consulted on a published in 2023. The announcement follows the opening of a brand new Global Disability Innovation Hub lab at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park by the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP. The official opening took place to mark the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The new plan will set out the practical actions the government will take over two years to improve the lives of disabled people. Policies will be further developed in the New Year with a consultation to follow so that disabled people and organisations that support the disabled will be able to comment.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said: “Over one in five people in the UK are disabled. It is vital we continue to take concerted action across government to improve disabled people’s lives. I’ll be bringing forward our Disability Action Plan in 2023 to build on government reform of the disability agenda, underlining our global leadership on disability rights and leading the way in areas such as assistive tech and accessibility.

“It was inspiring to visit the GDI’s new research lab where this type of innovation is in action, unlocking opportunities so that more disabled people can reach their potential.”

The GDI Hub will be researching and creating a new generation of advanced technologies, ranging from Artificial Intelligence powered aids for visually impaired people to how mobile communication can be used to strengthen disabled communities.

While visiting the Olympic Park, MP Tom Pursglove was also welcomed to the Aquatics Centre by several Paralympians as part of a tour of the centre’s accessibility features. They spoke of their experiences competing at last year’s Paralympics and the impact of the London Olympics’ legacy work by the British Paralympic Association.

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