Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has received from High Commissioners from (a) Namibia, (b) South Africa, (c) Tanzania, (d) Acting High Commissioner Zambia, and (e) Ambassador of Zimbabwe on the UK Hunting Trophies (import prohibition) Bill; and if he will place a copy of his responses in the Library.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Trudy Harrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as HMG lead on the Hunting Trophies bill, has offered to meet with High Commissioners from Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Acting High Commissioner Zambia and the Ambassador of Zimbabwe to discuss the UK Hunting Trophies (import prohibition) Bill. FCDO Africa Directorate is actively engaged and will be present at this meeting.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funding his Department plans to provide to the Global Mine Action Programme.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Department is in the process of deciding the distribution of Official Development Assistrance (ODA) allocations over the remainder of our Spending Review period. This will be focussed according to the priorities set out in the International Development Strategy. We are committed to transparency with the public and predictability with our partners, and will update on planned ODA allocations, including for the Global Mine Action Programme, in due course.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he will support Taiwan’s attendance at the forthcoming 74th session of the World Health Assembly as an observer.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has been consistently clear that it supports Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations where statehood is not a prerequisite. This includes at the World Health Assembly, where Taiwan can make a valuable contribution.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress his Department has made in delivering a three-year strategy to support the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative remains a top priority for the FCDO. We continue to develop a three-year strategy, with clear deliverables and performance indicators, which will be underpinned by an evidence-based Theory of Change, with embedded monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas of 28 January 2021, Official report, col 655, what his objectives are for the forthcoming G7 summit, in relation to the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Foreign & Development (F&D) Track will have three key priorities: to promote open societies; to lead a sustainable recovery; and to renew global outreach. Gender equality will fall under the second of these priorities, and we are clear that success is a recovery that leaves no one behind, and places gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at its core. To do this, the F&D Track will be guided by the framework of the '3 Es' - Educating girls, Empowering women, and Ending violence against women and girls. Within the Foreign & Development track, we will seek to strengthen the G7's commitment to women's political and economic empowerment and ending violence against women and girls. We also aim to secure G7 agreement on ambitious new access and learning targets for girls' education, demonstrating the continued importance we place upon tackling gender inequality, one of the root causes of Conflict-related Sexual Violence.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with its counterparts in the US on preventing sexual violence in conflict.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We continue to engage with international partners, including the United States, on the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative in our efforts to end conflict-related sexual violence. Promoting gender equality and advancing women and girls' rights on the international stage are core elements of the UK's role as a force for good in the world.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 October 2020 to Question 94544 on Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences, what progress has been made on rescheduling the postponed Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference, Time for Justice: Putting Survivors First.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) International Conference, Time for Justice: Putting Survivors First, was postponed in early 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. We will revisit our plans when the international situation allows.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the UK’s Official Development Assistance was spent on projects tackling gender-based violence in 2019.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We estimate that in 2019, the UK spent roughly 0.4% of its ODA budget on projects dedicated to tackling gender-based violence and violence against women and girls. To break down further, UK bilateral spend on such projects in 2019 was at least £47.1 million, and UK imputed multilateral share of spend was £12.4 million for 2018. We estimate that in 2018, roughly 0.31% of the UK's ODA budget was spent on tackling gender-based violence and violence against women and girls (£32.6 million bilateral and £12.4 million multilateral). Figures are likely to be underestimations due to programme recording under additional codes, such as humanitarian. Figures for the UK Imputed Multilateral Share 2019 will be published shortly.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the UK Government seeking participation within the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
As part of preparation to deliver a meaningful tilt towards the Indo-Pacific through the Integrated Review, the Government has been looking at options for closer dialogue and practical cooperation with the countries part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Australia, India, Japan and the US). The UK deep partnerships already established with these countries covering security issues and many other sectors that we will build on. The Foreign Secretary's visit to India in December, for example, enabled agreement on the key elements of a 10 year UK-India roadmap so that we can deliver a step change in ambition for the relationship between our two countries, including our commitment to building a stronger defence and security partnership with India. No decisions have yet been made on the form UK engagement with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue could take.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent of Chinese interference in the internal affairs of Commonwealth nations.
Answered by Nigel Adams
China plays an important role as a development partner for some Commonwealth nations. However, we are also clear-eyed about the risks this poses in terms of China's economic and political influence. It has always been the case that where we have concerns we raise them. We continue to work with Commonwealth member states in close partnerships bilaterally, within the Commonwealth, and in other international fora across a wide range of issues. This work includes protecting and promoting the rule of law, democracy and human rights, addressing global challenges such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, and advocating for small and vulnerable states.