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Written Question
Detention Centres: Refugees
Thursday 6th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, and intend to have, with UNHCR and other governments and agencies, about (1) the resettlement of refugees and migrants, and (2) preventing existing refugee camps and detention centres becoming permanent.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The UK maintains an ongoing dialogue with UNHCR and a range of other partners, including other governments and agencies, and has a strong and constructive relationship across a range of asylum and resettlement issues.

Our resettlement schemes offer a safe and legal route to the UK for vulnerable refugees in need of protection. We work closely with UNHCR in the operation of our schemes. UNHCR is uniquely placed to identify those living in formal refugee camps, informal settlements and host communities who would benefit most from resettlement to the UK.

Refugee camps provide vital humanitarian assistance including shelter, food, clean water, and sanitation and medical services, but can also limit movement and longer-term options for refugees. As such, they are normally considered temporary measures of last resort. While camps provide a vital lifeline for many refugees a relatively small number (around 5.3 million refugees) live in them, with the majority in urban areas, informal settlements and out-of-camp individual accommodation.

We actively engaged in agreeing the Global Compact on Refugees, which aims to boost refugees’ self-reliance while simultaneously supporting generous host communities and countries – an approach that the UK has helped to develop and champion.


Written Question
Overseas Aid
Thursday 6th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what management and oversight precautions, if any, they are putting in place to (1) increase accountability of aid spending; and (2) prevent non-attributable day-to-day spending being re-badged as aid.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The Government is committed to ensuring that every pound spent on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) achieves maximum value for money for taxpayers based on the same high standards of accountability and effectiveness as all areas of public expenditure. Individual departments are responsible under public spending rules for monitoring all public money including their UK aid programming and ensuring that they deliver value for money. Robust parliamentary and independent scrutiny of the aid budget will continue – the form that Parliamentary scrutiny takes is for Parliament to decide. UK ODA continues to be spent in accordance with international rules on what constitutes aid as set by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Disease Control
Thursday 6th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ethical implications of the creation of emergency funds by multinational corporations to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a severe impact on those who work in and supply global value chains. 292 million jobs in manufacturing supply chains are at high risk globally due to the COVID-19-related drop in consumer demand. These include 73 million in textiles and garment supply chains – a critical source of labour demand for many of the poorest and most vulnerable workers globally.


Multinational corporations have significant reach and can have a positive impact on their supply chains. DFID is partnering with Unilever to deploy a Hygiene and Behaviour Change Coalition to combat COVID-19 where our support is matched in-kind from Unilever. DFID is also supportive of initiatives such as the ILO/IUTC Action in the Global Garment Industry that encourages good practice. We also support the efforts of organisations like the Ethical Trading Initiative and Fairtrade Foundation, who work with companies to ensure good working conditions in their supply chains. Finally, DFID has provided funding to the Business and COVID-19 Response Centre, which is working to accelerate global learning and action to support the most vulnerable people in companies’ supply chains.


Written Question
Humanitarian Aid: Food Supply
Thursday 6th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Programme FAO–WFP early warning analysis of acute food insecurity hotspots, published on 17 July, and in particular of the recommendation to preserve and scale up critical humanitarian food, nutrition and livelihood assistance.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

We welcome this joint report and the recommendations made as they promote a comprehensive approach to tackling food insecurity. The FAO-WFP early warning analysis highlights countries that are at risk of significant food security deterioration, including the secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and aims to inform urgent action to safeguard the food security of the most vulnerable communities in these locations.


The UK is working with international partners, including FAO and WFP, to closely monitor the situation and take action. As a leading donor to the COVID-19 response we are supporting our partners to ensure essential commodities and services, and pre-position food supplies for those most in need. We have also adapted our existing social protection, agriculture, and food security programmes, including support to the FAO on locust control, to support the most vulnerable.


Written Question
Developing Countries: Food Supply
Thursday 6th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Programme on (1) the availability of food, (2) agricultural production, (3) food supply chains, and (4) governments’ capacities to protect vulnerable populations; and what are the expected outcomes of any such discussions.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The UK is concerned about the increasing risk of acute food insecurity, and we engage regularly with the FAO and WFP to discuss the global food security outlook. Recent discussions have focused on the indirect impacts of COVID-19 on food access and availability, agricultural production and food supply chains, and deteriorating trends.

The FAO and WFP regularly update the UK on their responses, in particular under the Global COVID-19 Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP). Efforts have prioritised anticipatory action to safeguard livelihoods and increase access to food, alongside global humanitarian logistics services. These aim to ensure continuity of critical food supply chains, strengthened national social protection systems, and safety of key food supply chain workers. The UK remains among the largest donors to the global COVID-19 response and the GHRP. The UK remains among the largest donors to the global COVID-19 response and the GHRP. We will continue to work closely with key partners to ensure assistance reaches those who need it most.


Written Question
Overseas Aid
Thursday 6th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the diversion of 30 per cent of Official Development Assistance budget to departments other than the Department for International Development on (1) support for the poorest people, (2) the maintenance of transparency and effectiveness procedures, and (3) maintaining focus on poverty reduction.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The 2015 Aid Strategy set out the Government’s new approach to aid where we embraced an integrated approach to delivering Official Development Assistance (ODA). This recognised the role of aid in tackling poverty and global challenges such as insecurity and that this serves our national interest. The delivery of ODA programmes by departments other than DFID has enabled us to leverage knowledge, skills and expertise from across government, delivering programmes that contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals and addressing the diversity of today’s development challenges. This collective effort has allowed our ODA programmes to deliver both strong development impact. The Government remains committed to ensuring that every pound spent on ODA is spent transparently and achieves maximum value for money for taxpayers.


Written Question
Haiti: Overseas Aid
Thursday 6th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Department for International Development’s involvement in Haiti, given reports by the community and international agencies of the continuing levels of poverty, unrest, sexual exploitation and abuse.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

While the UK does not have a bilateral development programme in Haiti, we support Haiti through our contributions to agencies such as the United Nations, European Union and the World Bank Group who have a strong presence on the ground. Our contributions are helping to make sure reconstruction reduces future disaster risks, health facilities are more climate resilient and the economy is better managed and supported. DFID holds itself to the highest standards and UK Aid must be delivered at all times in ways which do no harm. We will not fund any organisation that does not meet our high standards on safeguarding. Evidence suggests that sexual exploitation and abuse increase during crises and we must never be complacent. This is a long-term agenda and DFID continues to drive work to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment. We are making good progress with initiatives that root out perpetrators and improve support to survivors and victims.


Written Question
Africa: Overseas Aid
Thursday 6th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in redirecting aid programmes in each relevant country in Africa through (1) their country programmes, (2) multilateral programmes, and (3) the World Food Programme; and for full details in each case.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

Many bilateral and multilateral aid programmes across Africa have been redirected, prioritising health, humanitarian, growth and trade as well as education and nutrition, recognising that these components are vital both for the immediate response to COVID-19, and for longer-term recovery. The UK has successfully pivoted huge amounts of programming to support nimble and innovative responses in African countries.


For example, in South Sudan, the UK is making a significant contribution to government-led efforts to prevent and respond to cases of COVID-19, including through support for infection prevention and control as well as water, sanitation and hygiene activities. The UK’s flagship Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme (WISH) has been adapted in 24 countries across Africa to ensure the continuation of lifesaving services to marginalised women and girls despite COVID-19. Multilaterally, £20m has been provided towards the African Union’s new COVID-19 response plan which funds and deploys health workers, clinical equipment, and capacity building training to all 55 AU Member States. In 2020, DFID has so far provided USD 254million to support the World Food Programme’s operations – this includes a USD 19million contribution to The World Food Programme’s Global Services in response to COVID-19.


Written Question
Vaccination: Coronavirus
Wednesday 5th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there will be an equitable distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine among developing nations, if such a vaccine is developed in the UK.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

As the world grapples with the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK has been clear that equitable global distribution of a vaccine will be the best defence, enable collective recovery and reduce the risk of repeat outbreaks.

The UK is supporting the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) which aims to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries. At the Global Vaccine Summit, which the Prime Minister hosted on 4th June, the UK repurposed £48 million to the AMC. At the Summit, AstraZeneca also announced a commitment of 300 million doses of the University of Oxford candidate vaccine to the COVAX facility.

The COVAX AMC will incentivise vaccine manufacturers to produce sufficient quantities of eventual COVID-19 vaccines and to ensure access for the world’s poorest countries. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization are working together to ensure that the vaccines are affordable and available equitably. Through the deal with AstraZeneca, the University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate have been committed towards the COVAX Facility.


Written Question
Remittances
Wednesday 5th August 2020

Asked by: Lord Jones (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount in remittances sent abroad from the UK in (1) 2018, and (2) 2019.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

Based on available data it is estimated that the UK sent remittances overseas in 2018 totalling $10.4 billion and that in 2019 the estimated total of remittances sent overseas from the UK was $10.5 billion. Recognising the importance of remittance flows to developing countries, the UK, together with the Swiss government, launched a Call to Action in May to highlight and address the significant predicted fall in remittances caused by the COVID-19 crisis. We are working hard to improve the flow of remittances by improving price transparency, supporting digitisation and working across Government to address issues of money transfer operators de-risking.