Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have for the promotion of scientific innovation in the developing world in combatting infectious life-threatening diseases.
Answered by Baroness Northover
The UK is the second largest government supporter of research to promote scientific innovation to develop new health technologies to combat infectious life-threatening diseases in the developing world. In August 2013 the Government announced support for a number of product development partnerships, with funding scheduled to continue until 2018[1] . The Government is also providing support (awarded in 2010) for the Meningitis Vaccine Development Programme, a product development partnership.
In addition the UK Government supports the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), a partnership between European Member States and African Countries which plays a leading role facilitating innovative research and development for new health technologies for diseases of the developing world.
[1]. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dfid-invests-to-save-millions-from-deadly-diseases.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the European Union on the promotion of scientific research in Africa (1) generally, and (2) in relation to infectious diseases.
Answered by Baroness Northover
The UK regularly engages with the European Union on the promotion of scientific research in Africa, including in relation to infectious diseases. Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is embedded in the Joint Africa EU Strategy (JAES), agreed by Heads of State in 2007. Under the JAES, the EU and Africa engage in an STI partnership, governed by an EU-Africa senior officials high-level policy dialogue (HLPD). Through the UK Collaborative on Development Sciences (UKCDS), a group of 14 UK government departments and research funders, the UK plays a particularly active role in the HLPD Bureau, the body that implements the recommendations of HLPD. The HLPD and its Bureau is currently engaged, with UK support, in promoting an EU-Africa roadmap for STI cooperation in food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture. In addition, the EU has established the Pan Africa programme as a funding instrument to support the JAES and DFID officials are involved in regular discussions on the management of this fund. The funds from this programme support cooperation on a number of priority areas including research cooperation and improved higher education.
The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP) was established in 2003, to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines and other health technologies. EDCTP brings together countries in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, to pool resources and skills, to effectively co-ordinate and implement clinical research and to build research capacity in Africa. The UK is a leading bilateral investor in the EDCTP and has worked actively to promote its work; the UK is currently Chair of the European Economic Interest Group (representing European Member States) and the overall General Assembly.
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 adequacy of investment in (1) health system strengthening, and (2) public health, in the developing world.
Answered by Baroness Northover
There is no internationally recognised methodology for calculating investment in either health systems strengthening or public health.
Estimates of the need for investment in health systems in developing countries and the adequacy of resources available have been made. Most recently, the Commission on Investing in Health estimated that around an additional $15 billion per annum would be required between 2016 and 2025 to strengthen health systems in developing countries.
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 use of European Union funding to promote science, technology and innovation in Africa in partnership with African institutions of higher education.
Answered by Baroness Northover
African institutions are substantial recipients of EU funding for promoting Science, Technology and Innovation. Funds come from a diversity of EU funding instruments, the most significant of which are the framework programme for research and innovation, the European Development Fund, and the Development Cooperation Instrument. UK research institutions are Africa’s number one partner in EU framework programme funded collaborative research projects.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have been held between the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development about the situation in Sierra Leone caused by ebola; and what was the outcome.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
There are ongoing high-level discussions across Government on the UK response to the Ebola outbreak including between the MoD and DFID. The scale of the crisis demands a coordinated, multi-departmental response by the UK Government.
On the 17th of September, we pledged £100 million in support towards combatting the outbreak. At the heart of this is the provision of 700 treatment beds in Sierra Leone to help to save lives and contain the spread of Ebola. This will increase the number of available beds to more than 1,000 over the coming months. Work has already begun on a 92 bed treatment facility in Kerrytown which will provide 12 dedicated beds specifically for healthcare workers. The MoD will set up, build and operate this facility.
Given the gravity of the situation in Sierra Leone DFID, together with the MoD, is setting up a forward command and control logistical hub that will provide the backbone of infrastructure, commodities, training and management needed to scale up the response in Sierra Leone. The hub will be staffed by a large multi-agency team including military, humanitarian and health experts. It will work closely with international partners and with the Government of Sierra Leone.