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Thank you for contacting me regarding New Clause 4 of the Advanced Research & Invention Agency Bill relating to foreign aid.
My intention had been to abstain on the amendment because I did not believe it was in scope with the aim of the Bill or the right place to have this discussion. This was ultimately a view shared by the speaker, and the amendment was not therefore called. Fundamentally, it should not be the place of ARIA to make up the temporary shortfall in the commitment toward 0.7%.
I put my name to New Clause 2 which would have mandated that the primary mission of ARIA is to support scientific research into human health and the development of new medicines and health technologies. I believe that this would be a much better use of the Bill and would actually have greater impact when it comes to solving health challenges being faced around the globe. As Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Access to Medicines & Medical Devices, I frequently have conversations with politicians, civil servants, academics, and companies across the globe about the role that closer collaboration in the medicines field across research and regulation could play in helping those most in need of support and access to vital medicines.
I believe in foreign aid which is needs-based. Of course we should be helping those whose plight is threatening their health and welfare, but it should not be a matter of financial targets- that can drive inappropriate behaviour and spending.
Right now we should be committing to supporting a worldwide vaccination programme- it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the only way to secure everyone’s health and wellbeing. I very much welcome that the UK has placed itself of the forefront of global efforts to ensure equitable access to vaccines for countries who lack the means to produce it themselves. Our commitment, among the largest in the world, to the COVAX AMC will support access to Covid-19 vaccines for up to 92 developing countries by contributing to the supply of 1.3 billion doses in 2021, and vaccinations for up to 650 million people.
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