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Written Question
Food: Coronavirus
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on levels of hunger across the globe; and what steps she is taking to prevent hunger levels rising.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The current combination of multiple crises could lead to a major food security crisis and even famine, triggered or made worse by COVID-19. Many countries are already experiencing severe food insecurity - due to conflict, climate change, shocks such as locusts, and poor economic performance. There is increasing evidence that COVID-19 is making this worse and may drive new hunger hotspots.

We know the situation is worsening. To prevent the food security crisis from skyrocketing, the international community will need to step up. DFID is playing its part. We are tracking the situation closely and our humanitarian assistance programmes help ensure we can get life-saving support to those who need it the most. We are adapting programmes in agriculture, nutrition and food security, to build resilience and prepare the ground for a sustainable recovery.


Written Question
Food Poverty: Overseas Aid
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with G20 colleagues on the (a) funding and (b) distribution of emergency cash transfers to tackle malnutrition.

Answered by Wendy Morton

Prevention and treatment of malnutrition remains a priority for the UK as part of our commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children, particularly as countries face worsening levels of malnutrition in the face of COVID-19.

In April the UK worked closely with other G20 members to agree a statement of the G20 Agriculture Ministers committing to close cooperation and action to safeguard global food security and nutrition. This included the commitment to work together to help ensure that sufficient, safe, affordable, and nutritious food continues to be available and accessible to all people.


Written Question
Overseas Aid: Payments
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will maintain her Department's commitment to more than double its use of cash and vouchers by 2025 to 32 per cent.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

The UK is a leading supporter of cash in humanitarian response as an effective, efficient, and accountable way of helping people affected by crisis meet a range of basic needs. A considerable proportion of our humanitarian assistance is currently delivered as cash (and vouchers) as per the UK Government's commitment at the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit. The UK also co-convenes the Grand Bargain Cash Workstream with the World Food Programme.

As the Prime Minister has set out, the UK is committed to spending 0.7 per cent of gross national income on development. We continue to look at how this money can be spent most effectively in our national interest including through the Integrated Review, which will report in the Autumn and inform the new department's priorities.


Written Question
Overseas Aid: Coronavirus
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking along with other G20 countries to ensure that the G20 covid-19 action plan includes a dedicated strategy for economic recovery in countries affected by fragility, crisis, and displacement.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The UK Government is committed to supporting vulnerable countries suffering from the economic, financial and social impacts of Covid-19 including countries affected by crisis, conflict and displacement.

The UK played a leading role in the development of the G20 Action Plan supporting the global economy through Covid-19, ensuring the Plan has clear commitments to help the poorest countries. This includes the Debt Service Suspension Initiative, which saw G20 members suspend debt service payments for the poorest, and most vulnerable, countries until at least the end of 2020.

We continue to work closely with G20 members to ensure robust implementation of the Action Plan


Written Question
Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to ensure the Global Fund’s allocation of resources in response to the covid-19 pandemic does not effect resources for (a) HIV, (b) TB and (c) malaria.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has provided up to US $1 billion to help countries fight COVID-19, mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on HIV, TB and malaria programmes, and support and strengthen health systems. This funding comes from savings from the fifth replenishment of the Global Fund (2017-2019). All of the funding from the sixth replenishment (2020-2022) will be used to fund programmes to fight HIV, TB and malaria and support and strengthen health systems.

The UK is proud to be the second biggest donor to the fifth and sixth replenishments of the Global Fund.


Written Question
Developing Countries: Overseas Aid
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect on local partners in the global south of a reduction in the UK's official development assistance budget.

Answered by Wendy Morton

Local partners are fundamental to the UK's delivery of ODA being effective and impactful. This is particularly demonstrated through their knowledge, partnerships and agility. Ministers reviewed every strand of the ODA budget, evaluating the impacts of spend and making sure we can maintain operational capacity. Prioritisation decisions in DFID were made at the project level and considered various criteria such as: how programmes contribute to development impact; value for money; national interest; the impact on suppliers and supply chains - including local partners; and to what extent we could feasibly save money from a specific project. Bilateral projects were also assessed against the vulnerability of each country.


Written Question
Overseas Aid
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to bring forward a new UK Aid Strategy.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The Integrated Review, announced by the Prime Minister and expected to conclude later in the year, will define the Government's ambition for the UK's role in the world. Its outcomes will shape the objectives including for overseas development spending.


Written Question
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the Government's timescale is for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office becoming fully operational.

Answered by Wendy Morton

Following the announcement on 16 June of the Prime Minister's decision to merge the FCO and DFID work began immediately on creating the new department, which will be formally established in early September. The process of fully integrating DFID and FCO's operations in the UK and overseas will be developed and delivered through a phased transformation programme.


Written Question
Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Answer of 20 July to Question 73967, when the Government will begin targeted engagement with stakeholders on the Integrated Review, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The Government continues to ensure that some of the best minds in the UK and beyond are feeding into the Review's conclusions.

We have started targeted engagement with academic stakeholders and will engage more widely still in the coming weeks; including with Parliament, Devolved Administrations, civil society, and our allies and partners. The Government has also now issued a Call for Evidence to help inform the Integrated Review. This will facilitate contributions from the public and our stakeholders with an interest and role in our nation's security and prosperity, and in tackling the global challenges the UK will face over the coming years.


Written Question
Department for International Development: Contracts
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department (a) has renegotiated or (b) plans to renegotiate contracts at a reduced value to account for a potential reduction in the Official Development Assitance budget.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The UK's 0.7 per cent Gross National Income target is directly linked to the performance of the UK economy. Like all other Government Departments, we need to make some tough prioritisation choices which will likely include the renegotiation of some of our contracts in light of the expected drop in GNI. In doing so, we will ensure that renegotiated contracts continue to deliver value for money for UK taxpayers and maximum impact for beneficiaries.