Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will ensure that spending on aid by all Government Departments conforms to the International Development Act 2002.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Government departments that spend Official Development Assistance (ODA) do so under the International Development Act 2002, or in accordance with other statutory powers where appropriate. It is the responsibility of individual departments to ensure that their ODA spend complies with the relevant statutory powers.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of the most recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Analysis report by the UN and its humanitarian partners on the humanitarian situation in Yemen; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The findings of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis highlight the need to respond urgently to the food security crisis and prevent loss of life. In February, the Secretary of State issued a call to the international community to step up their response to the risk of famine in Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen. The UK has led by example, providing emergency humanitarian assistance to over 1 million people in both 2015 and 2016, and hosting a high level international event at the UN General Assembly to shine a spotlight on the forgotten crisis. In this financial year alone, we have provided lifesaving nutrition support to 889,000 women and children and food or food vouchers to 462,000 people so far. We are planning a significant contribution to Yemen in 2017/18.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that British-funded aid is not blocked at ports in Yemen.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The UK continues to lobby all parties to the conflict to facilitate commercial and humanitarian access, and is supporting the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Humanitarian Air Service to improve access for humanitarian agencies.