Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to footnote 1 on page 28 and footnote 2 on page 29 of the Budget 2020 Red Book on Capital DEL and Resource DEL, if she will publish the detailed proposals for transfers of spending to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government Departments for 2020-21.
Answered by Wendy Morton
My Department will provide details of all budget transfers to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government Departments in our Memorandum to the International Development Committee on the publication of the department’s Main Supply Estimate.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) financial and (b) other support his Department has provided in the last three months to enable parliamentary elections in Somaliland to take place.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK is leading high level political engagement for the international community on Somaliland’s overdue parliamentary elections calling on all political actors to ensure they are held well before the end of 2020. Over the last three months, we have continued diplomatic efforts in addition to work through the Conflict Security and Stability Fund to provide ongoing support to mediation efforts, technical expertise for the National Electoral Commission secretariat and the engagement of marginalised groups, including women and minorities, in the electoral process.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the levels of persecution of the Tawerga community in Libya.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK has regularly raised the displacement of the Tawerga community with interlocutors in Libya.
From June 2018 many displaced Tawergans have been able to return to their hometown. However others have continued to undergo forced eviction and arbitrary detention, highlighted by the UN statement of 10 August 2018.
UK programmes in Libya are designed to improve security, advance reconciliation and meet the humanitarian needs of all vulnerable and displaced communities, including the Tawerga.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial assistance her Department is providing to people from the Tawerga community that have been displaced outside Libya.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK’s provision of humanitarian support inside and outside Libya is based on the needs of affected populations rather than targeted at particular communities.
The displaced Tawerga community is included within a range of UK interventions. Our contributions to the UN’s general budget help to fund the work of the UN High Commission for Refugees, which is supporting Tawergans who remain displaced. Through the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, we are enabling the International Organisation for Migration to provide assistance to those able to return home. Through the Conflict Stability and Security Fund, the UK is supporting the Stabilisation Facility for Libya and projects on mine risk education, both of which are working with the Tawerga community.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much financial aid her Department plans to provide to (a) Mozambique and (b) Malawi to tackle the destruction of Cyclone Idai; and which organisations will receive that funding.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK has provided £22 million for the international response to Cyclone Idai in southern Africa, including £4m to match the UK public’s generous contributions to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s appeal. This funding is being deployed flexibly across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe in response to the unfolding situation, with the majority allocated to Mozambique where the needs are greatest. Assistance is being delivered through UN agencies, NGOs and direct procurement, delivery and distribution of relief supplies.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to support Italy’s draft resolution on improving the transparency of markets for drugs, vaccines and other health-related technologies at the World Health Assembly.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
DFID is aware that Italy has proposed a new draft resolution on pricing transparency for medicines and other commodities. We understand that it has not been formally submitted to WHO for the World Health Assembly. The UK will consider any proposed resolution on its merits, provided it follows the proper process, to ensure clarity and to enable all Member States to engage constructively.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) West African and (b) South and Latin American cocoa producers supplying (i) the UK and (ii) other EU countries while earning less than the living income.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
DFID has not made an estimate of the number of cocoa producers in West Africa and South and Latin America supplying the UK and the EU while earning less than the living income.
DFID is committed to driving inclusive and sustainable growth that lifts people out of poverty. More than 8 million people have benefited from DFID’s current agriculture programmes since 2010. In West Africa we are supporting the Cocoa and Forest Initiative to promote a sustainable cocoa sector which benefits smallholder farmers.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is providing to the House of Representatives of Somaliland to ensure that the planned 2019 Somaliland parliamentary elections take place.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK remains committed to supporting timely elections in Somaliland. We are leading high level messaging from the international community, and working with the Conflict Security and Stability Fund on improvements in the voter registration system, technical expertise for the national election commission and women’s engagement in the elections.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Report on the work of the Independent Expert Panel on prevention of and response to harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and abuse of power at UNAIDS Secretariat, what recent assessment she has made of the allegations against UNAIDS; and if she will make a statement on the future of the UK's contributions to that agency.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK has been a driving force in tackling this issue, galvanising the aid sector to put in place the vital initiatives needed to finally rid it of those who seek to tarnish its reputation. We have been very clear that we will not tolerate practices which do not reach the highest standards in relation to tackling harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and abuse of power. The UK expects the current Executive Director to step down. This is vital to signal a strong response to this critical issue within and beyond the organisation.
The UK’s next scheduled payment to UNAIDS is not due until later in the year. We will assess progress in implementation of the Panel’s recommendations as part of our regular review of funding.
A statement was issued by the Secretary of State on UNAIDS on Thursday 20 December 2018, reference: HCWS1223.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps her Department has taking to tackle gender-based violence against Rohingya women and girls.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We remain deeply concerned about sexual and gender-based violence in the Rohingya crisis. The UK has led the way in speed and scale of response to the Rohingya crisis, providing £129 million in funding since August 2017, and we are prioritising protecting and safeguarding women and girls.
Our latest funding will reach over 250,000 people with sexual and reproductive health services including targeted training, support to deal with gender-based violence and family planning.