Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what budgetary allocation have they made in relation to the post hurricane reconstruction of (1) Dominica, and (2) Antigua.
Answered by Lord Bates
Her Majesty’s Government has allocated a total of £32 million to support Dominica; £7 million for emergency relief and early recovery, and £25 million of which is for post hurricane reconstruction. HMG has allocated £3 million to Antigua and Barbuda for post hurricane reconstruction.
Both islands will also benefit from regional climate resilience and disaster preparedness planning of £8 million which will be allocated through consultation with partners and the Caribbean Governments.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provisions of the Commonwealth Vulnerability Index as additional criteria to determine the classification of developing countries for the purpose of meeting needs (1) in the aftermath of natural disasters, and (2) generally.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK continues to support the current methodology for assessing the graduation of countries from Official Development Assistance (ODA) where countries and territories cease to be ODA-eligible when they reach High Income Status, including for British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth Island States. However, following the recent devastation of small islands in the Caribbean, we are pleased that agreement was reached at the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s (OECD-DAC) High Level Meeting in October to establish a process which could allow previous recipients of ODA to receive short-term ODA support in the event of catastrophic humanitarian crises. We also welcome the OECD-DAC’s agreement on the need to create a new mechanism to allow countries to receive ODA when their income falls below the High Income threshold, for example as a result of a catastrophic natural disaster or other crisis. Officials have considered the Commonwealth Vulnerability Index and take this into account when looking at the issue of vulnerability. We agree that some states face particular vulnerabilities and the Government will continue to work with the international community to ensure that vulnerable states receive the support they need.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in relation to the OECD's Development Assistance Committee redesignating British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth Island States so that they would be eligible for Overseas Development Aid.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK continues to support the current methodology for assessing the graduation of countries from Official Development Assistance (ODA) where countries and territories cease to be ODA-eligible when they reach High Income Status, including for British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth Island States. However, following the recent devastation of small islands in the Caribbean, we are pleased that agreement was reached at the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s (OECD-DAC) High Level Meeting in October to establish a process which could allow previous recipients of ODA to receive short-term ODA support in the event of catastrophic humanitarian crises. We also welcome the OECD-DAC’s agreement on the need to create a new mechanism to allow countries to receive ODA when their income falls below the High Income threshold, for example as a result of a catastrophic natural disaster or other crisis. Officials have considered the Commonwealth Vulnerability Index and take this into account when looking at the issue of vulnerability. We agree that some states face particular vulnerabilities and the Government will continue to work with the international community to ensure that vulnerable states receive the support they need.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of hurricane damage to the infrastructure of (1) Dominica, and (2) Antigua.
Answered by Lord Bates
A comprehensive Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) of the hurricane damage has recently been completed in both Dominica and in Antigua and Barbuda. These were jointly undertaken by the World Bank, EU, UN Development Programme and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction. HMG’s support for reconstruction in both countries will follow the recommendations made in those needs assessments.
The detailed figures of the impact on infrastructure from the PDNA are below, all figures have been converted from US $:
Dominica | |||
Infrastructure Sector | Damages (£ M) | Losses (£ M) | Needs (£ M) |
Transport | 136 | 40 | 225 |
Electricity | 25 | 25 | 60 |
Water and Sanitation | 18 | 30 | 42 |
Telecommunication | 36 | 6 | 36 |
Airports and Port | 14 | 2 | 17 |
Total | 229 | 103 | 380 |
Antigua and Barbuda | |||
Infrastructure Sector | Damages (£) | Losses (£) | Needs (£) |
Transport | 12,059,488 | 237,588 | 21,676,863 |
Electricity | 2,464,876 | 193,278 | 6,154,170 |
Water and Sanitation | 217,746 | 0 | 259,152 |
Telecommunication | 523,962 | 27,601 | 523,951 |
Total | 15,266,072 | 458,467 | 28,614,136 |
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of the Global Fund in the fight against Malaria.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has played a critical role in the fight against malaria. To date, it has invested $7 billion to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease. Between 2002 and 2015, this support has helped distribute approximately 600 million mosquito nets and treated over 515 million cases of malaria. Given that the Global Fund contributes 58% of all international finance for malaria, it has played an important role in helping reduce deaths from the disease by 48% between 2000-2014.
With 1 in 10 child deaths in Africa still caused by malaria, the UK recognises that more needs to be done to tackle this deadly, but preventable disease. That is why earlier this year, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State committed that the UK would spend £500 million a year to help tackle malaria. This support will contribute towards reducing the death rate from malaria by 90% by 2030.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what level of resourcing from the international community needs to be applied to meet the Global Fund's target of saving an additional eight million people at risk of dying from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The investment case for the Fifth Replenishment of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) projects that a successful replenishment of $13bn will enable the Global Fund to save 8 million lives and avert up to 300 million new infections over the period 2017-2019.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made, in the aftermath of the Ebola epidemic, of the case for the reform of World Health Organisation governance structures in order to strengthen the effectiveness of global responses to the outbreak of infectious diseases.
Answered by Baroness Verma
Following lessons learned from Ebola, Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) supports the recommendations from the independent Advisory Group to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General on Reform of WHO’s Work in Outbreaks and Health Emergencies. HMG welcomes the action that WHO Director General Chan has already taken in joining together WHO’s disease outbreaks and emergency response departments. We also welcome commitment by the WHO to implement one workforce, one budget, one set of rules and processes, and a clear line of authority which we assess will strengthen WHO’s governance structure and allow for an effective response to outbreak of infectious diseases. HMG has urged the WHO to implement the Advisory Group recommendations in full and without delay and we look forward to an update on progress with this at the World Health Assembly in May.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the role of investment through local revenue raising in the development of sustainable health systems capable of detecting and responding to disease outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Answered by Baroness Verma
Domestic financing has a central role to play in all countries to strengthen health systems and improve accountability. In April 2001, African Union Heads of State agreed the Abuja Declaration which set a target of allocating at least 15% of budgets to improve the health sector. Subsequently, the share of budgets allocated to health increased from 8.1% in 2000 to 9.6% in 2010. However, even at 15% of government expenditure, many African countries would still lack the funding necessary to improve their health systems significantly. The international community therefore plays an important supporting role in strengthening health systems to contain disease outbreaks and to ensure global health security.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations of the report of the Harvard Global Health Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Independent Panel on Global Response to Ebola published in The Lancet online on 22 November 2015, with particular reference to the creation of a Global Health Committee of the UN Security Council.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The Ebola crisis demonstrated the need for reform of the international system of response to disease outbreaks, including reform of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Several independent groups have made important recommendations including the Harvard Global Health Institute and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Independent Panel. The WHO Director General commissioned an independent Advisory Group on Reform of WHO’s work in Outbreaks and Emergencies with Health and Humanitarian Consequences. This group considered the Harvard and London School reports but did not include the creation of a Global Health Committee of the United Nations (UN) Security Council in the recommendations they have made to the WHO. Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) supports the Advisory Group recommendations which aim to equip and empower WHO to deliver more effectively in outbreak response and to fulfil its leadership and coordination role in humanitarian crises and to do so with independent oversight. HMG will assess a progress update on WHO’s implementation of these reforms at the World Health Assembly in May.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their contribution to multilateral development assistance to Burundi; and what is their assessment of the impact of this funding.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The UK’s imputed share of multilateral net ODA to Burundi was £28.7 million in 2013, the latest year for which figures are available. DFID selects its partners on the basis of their ability to spend funds where they will have the greatest impact and DFID has rigorous systems in place to ensure that funds are spent effectively. The World Bank, for example, has a country-level results framework to track and manage progress and impact; currently over two-thirds of the outcome indicators for Burundi have already been achieved or are on-track to being achieved.
In addition to core funding to multilaterals, DFID also provides resources for multilateral organisations through bilateral and central programmes. A preparedness programme has enabled the UN and World Food Programme to assist up to 10,000 people in Burundi and to strengthen humanitarian coordination. Since the start of the crisis DFID has contributed £21 million to support the regional refugee response and DFID’s contribution to the Central Emergency Response Fund in Burundi is in excess of £2 million in 2016.
DFID is working with the EU, international financial institutions, UN Agencies and NGO community to review their support to Burundi and to ensure that humanitarian needs are met. DFID has a humanitarian adviser based in the region as well as advisers in the UK monitoring the situation in Burundi and ensuring that DFID funds are being spent in a way that achieves value for money for the UK taxpayer