Mindanao Earthquake
Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale
To ask His Majesty’s Government what support they intend to make available to those affected by the earthquake in Mindanao in the Philippines.
Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Lab)
My Lords, my work in the Philippines is recorded in the Lords register. I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Lemos) (Lab)
My Lords, I was deeply saddened to hear about the earthquake in the Philippines on 8 June and I offer my condolences to everyone impacted. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. I praise the strong and rapid response of the Government of the Philippines at a challenging time. Of course, the UK stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance if requested by the Philippines Government. We have a range of mechanisms and capabilities in place to provide that support if called upon.
Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Lab)
I thank my noble friend for his Answer on behalf of the Government. The good people of General Santos in South Cotabato, in the Bangsamoro region of the Philippines, have spent the last 12 years rebuilding their economy and their communities after 50 years of civil war. They face these climate shock events on a far too regular basis. Some 32,000 people have been displaced and at least 37 have died. I hope the Government will not only be able to provide humanitarian support for a key partner country in our geopolitical relationships but continue to provide support in the Philippines for action against climate change and in support of peace-building efforts, following the conflict and the civil war that affected that region in particular for so long.
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I pay tribute to my noble friend for the work that he has done in the Philippines over many years, particularly in the Bangsamoro region. He has been involved for more than a decade, I think, and that has been a remarkable commitment where he has achieved and contributed to real change.
The UK has provided humanitarian assistance in recent years to support the Philippines Government’s response to the major natural disasters that have impacted the country. My noble friend is right to say that these are often climate-related. The Philippines is one of the countries that are most vulnerable to climate-related disasters, and we have been strong supporters of it. We also have a modern development partnership with the Philippines.
Baroness Sugg (Con)
My Lords, are the Government having discussions about deploying emergency response teams to assist on the ground, such as the excellent Hazardous Area Response Team or UK-Med, which have been trained in providing life-saving assistance in these cases?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
As I say, we have not as yet been asked to provide support, and we are strong supporters of the response of the Philippines Government. I make that it clear that we are close partners of the Government of the Philippines and we would mobilise the resources that the noble Baroness mentioned if they were felt to be necessary. There is no resistance at all at our end.
Lord Bruce of Bennachie (LD)
My Lords, I was also involved in a small way in the Bangsamoro project; I have not visited the region, but I have engaged with parliamentarians. This earthquake is a major setback for the region on its recovery. Why is it that in the past, before our aid cuts, when there was a major earthquake or a major disaster, we had an immediate response from an operation in Victoria Street to send out a response within hours, rather than waiting for a call from the Government? Has that capacity been abolished? At the moment, with all our engagement in in the area, do we not need to offer a bit more than the ambassador’s sympathy?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
With respect, I do not think we are just offering the ambassador’s sympathy. We stand ready to help and have ensured that our commitments to humanitarian assistance have been protected, so I am afraid that I do not quite accept the characterisation the noble Lord puts forward. On the Bangsamoro peace process, it is an important commitment that the UK has been heavily involved in, supported by my noble friend Lord McConnell, and we will continue to be actively engaged in that.
Lord Swire (Con)
My Lords, the British people can be proud of the part we have played over the years in bringing relative peace to that part of the world. Can the Minister, though, reassure us that we will do everything we can to preserve the peace in that area in case it is knocked a bit by the recent humanitarian problems we have seen resulting from this earthquake?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I reassure the noble Lord that we are not receiving any reports—I checked this specifically—of problems with aid from the Philippines Government reaching the affected communities in the Bangsamoro area. We are committed to supporting the peace process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and will continue to do that even once this disaster is behind us.
Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, can I ask my noble friend the Minister what the closest Royal Navy ship was to the Philippines when this accident happened—because historically the Navy has been very involved in these things—and was its tasking changed at all as a result of this?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I suppose I should have been prepared for that question. My noble friend will also be prepared for me to say I do not know the answer, but I will check. As I have said, if the Government of the Philippines asked for our help, we would provide it, but there is no suggestion that they have asked for help from the Royal Navy at the moment.
The Earl of Effingham (Con)
My Lords, the safety and well-being of those living in and around General Santos City is the only thing that matters right now. But, following on from my noble friend Lady Sugg, on a practical level, we have some brilliant UK-based firms with international operations that specialise in structural integrity assessment and crisis communications. Apparently, the wounded are being treated in tents because they are afraid of the hospitals collapsing. Will the FCDO engage with both our experts and the Philippines authorities so we can try to make a real difference? Surely, we do not need to be asked; we should be on the front foot.
Lord Lemos (Lab)
Of course we will. We will not just wait to be asked. The Philippines Government, as I have said, have made a strong response and we will respond to requests for help. Of course we prepare, plan and monitor the situation. The noble Lord knows that.
Lord Vaizey of Didcot (Con)
My Lords, I am chair of the UK-ASEAN Business Council, and the Minister will be aware that the Philippines is currently the president of ASEAN and, indeed, the whole region works very closely with the UK on climate change and green technologies. Could the Minister update the House on the engagement the UK is currently undertaking with the Philippines during its presidency of ASEAN?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
Yes, I am happy to do that. I am happy to talk and happy to write with more detail, if that will be helpful. On the specific question that the noble Lord asked about climate resilience, agriculture and solar energy, particularly in the blue economy we have a very active programme and have committed up to £20 million to various kinds of technical assistance. My briefers in the FCDO told me that, even if they do not ask for a letter, I should offer to send one, because we have a lot of good things to say—so I will.
Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)
My Lords, it is my recollection that we used to be rather speedier in response when we had a separate Department for International Development, which was unfortunately abolished by the Government of the party opposite. Would the Minister, however tentatively, give some indication that, when circumstances permit, we will consider reinstating a separate Department for International Development?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I am afraid that I do not feel empowered to propose machinery of government changes, tentatively or otherwise. It is important to us that our international development effort, particularly—and the whole House knows this—in tough fiscal circumstances, comes together with our diplomatic and defence efforts in a co-ordinated way. Of course, the Government will consider the right machinery of government to achieve that.
Baroness Goldie (Con)
May I try and come to the aid of the Minister? When I was a Defence Minister and visited the Philippines, I was the first Defence Minister to go there for 40 years, and it was my pleasure to board HMS “Tamar”. “Tamar” and HMS “Spey” are two offshore protection vessels retained out in that region to provide humanitarian and general help, if required. Is the Minister aware of, or will he consult with the MoD on, whether these two ships are in a position to offer any form of support?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I will be happy to do that. The noble Baroness may have been the first Defence Minister to visit the Philippines, but she was not the last. My noble friend Lord Coaker was there very recently, talking to the Government of the Philippines about increased defence co-operation, and I will be happy to come back to the noble Baroness on the specific question about the ships. It is a strengthening relationship, but I will not steal my noble friend’s thunder.
Lord Bellingham (Con)
My Lords, further to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Effingham, it is not just a question of residents not wanting to go to hospitals because of fear of them collapsing. Many hospitals have been badly damaged, so people are being treated, as my noble friend said, in makeshift facilities. Can I push the Minister a bit further? We have a lot of expertise in this area, so what specific medical aid are HMG looking at and thinking of?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I am very happy to look specifically at what is being prepared, as it follows up on the question of the noble Earl, Lord Effingham. I reiterate, and I do want to emphasise, that there is no resistance on the part of His Majesty’s Government to supporting the Government of the Philippines in disaster relief on this disaster, and no doubt on ones in the future. I really want to stress that.