Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the corporate report to replace the Single departmental plan: 2015 to 2020, which was withdrawn on 13 March.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Single Departmental Plans are updated annually setting out the Department’s plans to deliver the Global Goals. The most recent version was uploaded in June 2019 and can be found at:
Plans will be updated once departments have prepared them as part of the normal government planning and performance process.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions they are taking to protect the safety of (1) UK health workers, and (2) in-country frontline healthworkers in developing countries, following the outbreak of COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government take the safety of healthcare workers very seriously. The COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control guidance has been updated to ensure that healthcare workers are protected and all hospitals remain safe, now and in the future.
Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are absolutely essential to ensure all healthcare workers are protected from infection with COVID-19.
The UK has announced up to £241 million of aid funding to support the global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19. As part of this, we are supporting the World Health Organisation and UNICEF to strengthen infection prevention and control in health facilities, to protect health workers in developing countries.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development (DfID) will remain autonomous, following the announcement in the recent reshuffle that junior DfID and Foreign and Commonwealth ministers will have joint responsibilities.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The PM appointed separate Secretaries of State for the Foreign Office and DFID in the recent reshuffle.
The Prime Minister has also appointed a fully joint junior ministerial team to ensure DFID and the FCO will work more closely overseas to deliver the Government’s objectives.
DFID ministers retain authority over decisions on DFID aid spending and accountability for all financial resources remains within existing departmental lines.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government who makes the final decision on how Official Development Assistance is disbursed within a country.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
As set out in the UK Aid Strategy, each department or public body spending Official Development Assistance (ODA) is accountable for their own spend. As such, there must be clear lines of accountability for all ODA programmes. Accounting Officers of departments or public bodies whose money is being spent on ODA, need to ensure they fulfil their obligations under HMT’s Managing Public Money as they remain personally accountable for ensuring the regularity, propriety and value for money of the use of public funds. Departments must ensure that spending on ODA is within their legal spending authority, meets the OECD eligibility criteria and complies with government aid policy as outlined in the UK Aid Strategy.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government who has responsibility for (1) programme design, and (2) delivery of, Official Development Assistance compliant projects; and whether that person will continue to have that responsibility.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Design and delivery of Official Development Assistance projects is the responsibility of the individual spending department.
DFID ministers retain authority over decisions on aid spending and accountability for all financial resources remains within existing departmental lines.
Departments will work more closely together overseas to deliver Her Majesty’s Government’s objectives and ensure the UK’s international operations are fully integrated.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries they are prioritising for the distribution of aid to counter the effects of COVID-19.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
HMG is closely monitoring the global transmission of the Covid-19, in particular the capabilities and vulnerabilities of developing countries, using the State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting index provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The UK’s global response strategy is to support the WHO and other multilateral actors to contain Covid-19 and mitigate secondary health and socio-economic impacts, especially for vulnerable populations in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Contributing to the WHO’s appeal will enable UK aid to support a strong international response alongside other key donors.
We are targeting our efforts where we have existing capacity to maximise our impact, and working with international partners to ensure aid is effectively distributed to vulnerable countries.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 7 December 2017 (HL3634), how much of the Ross Fund has now been (1) allocated, and (2) disbursed.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Ross Fund is a portfolio of programmes, identified in the UK Aid Strategy, led by either DFID or Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), aimed at combatting the world's most serious diseases.
DFID was allocated £547m and DHSC £461m from the Ross Fund Portfolio. To date DFID has (1) allocated £509m and (2) disbursed £161m to end of financial year 2017/18. DHSC has (1) allocated £395m and (2) disbursed £62.1m to end of financial year 2017/18. Details for the current financial year will be available after March 2019.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what UK economic aid, if any, is provided to the Burmese army.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK provides no economic aid to the Burmese Army.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to commission a transparent review of UK aid spending in Myanmar.
Answered by Lord Bates
In the light of events in Rakhine State since 2017, DFID Burma has undertaken a full strategic review of all its programming. As a result, DFID Burma is shifting its approach to focus more on inclusion, conflict-affected areas and groups, displaced populations and a more robust engagement with government. These efforts continue to support the long-term democratic, peace and economic transitions. A summary of the DFID Burma programme will be published in July alongside the DFID Annual Report 2018-19. Details of all DFID Burma programmes are published on the Devtracker website.
Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help tackle the trafficking of Rohingya refugee women and girls.
Answered by Lord Bates
DFID is supporting UNHCR’s prevention and response mechanism to protect Rohingya from sexual and gender-based violence and human trafficking in all key refugee-hosting locations. This support includes legal counselling, mediation, support to bring legal proceedings against perpetrators and awareness raising of danger signs and risks. Almost 36,000 people are benefiting from this project.