Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they contribute financially, annually, to the World Health Organisation.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is critical to UK international development and global health security objectives. The UK is WHO’s third largest funder and a key advocate for continued WHO reform and impact at country level. The UK’s annual contribution to the World Health Organisation averages at £100 million.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration; and whether they intend to sign the Compact.
Answered by Lord Bates
Well-managed migration is in everyone’s interests. But uncontrolled migration erodes public confidence, damages economies, and places those on the move in situations of intense vulnerability. The UK is taking significant steps to tackle uncontrolled migration by:
The Global Compact for Migration is one way in which we are working to ensure that UK migration priorities are embedded throughout the international system. It is a step forward in international co-operation to tackle irregular migration and helpful framework to help us deliver our commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Compact is not legally binding. Instead, it creates a framework that will allow countries to work together to make migration more beneficial for everyone. It protects every State’s right to determine its own immigration policies, including in areas such as asylum, border controls and returns of illegal migrants.
We have worked closely with our EU colleagues throughout the process and will continue to do so as we approach the intergovernmental launch event in Marrakesh. My colleague the Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP recently spoke to the APPGs on Migration and Refugees about the Migration Compact.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in determining the amount of aid for Pakistan in 2018–19 of £345 million, what consideration, if any, was given to (1) the reported assistance given to the Afghan Taliban by that country's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency, (2) the amount spent on nuclear weapons per annum by that country, (3) the amount per annum spent on defence, (4) Pakistan's rating by Transparency International, (5) the use of the death penalty there, and the number of prisoners awaiting execution, (6) the number of juveniles sentenced to death, (7) recent death sentences for blasphemy, (8) the practice and legal status of female genital mutilation, (9) the intimidation of journalists who criticise Pakistan's military, and (10) the 2016 Amnesty International report listing Pakistan in the top ten worst countries in the world for human rights abuses.
Answered by Lord Bates
Helping to ensure a prosperous and stable Pakistan is critical for the future of millions of poor Pakistanis, and the stability and security of both the region and the UK. The UK is helping Pakistan improve its basic services, reduce poverty, and promote equality. Our funding helps strengthen institutions, develop markets and build systems for a self-sufficient and better governed country. DFID’s work supports wider UK objectives by helping to reduce threats to the UK which may emanate from Pakistan linked to extremism, illegal migration and foreign national offenders in the UK of Pakistan origin.
Our aid relationship with any government is based on an assessment of commitment to our Partnership Principles, including to promote and safeguard human rights. We no longer provide General Budget Support to Pakistan. Instead, where it is effective and efficient to work through government systems, we direct our support towards specific areas such as health and education sectors. UK aid programmes which provide funding through the Government only proceed when the Government of Pakistan provides most of the funds itself, commits to increase its own spending, and delivers results; and when we know UK aid is protected from corruption. DFID and the FCO continue to raise the issue of human rights of minorities at the highest levels of Government. No UK aid funds nuclear programmes in Pakistan, either directly or indirectly. It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on matters relating to intelligence or national security and we are not aware of any reliable data that is available on Pakistan’s nuclear programme expenditure.