Overseas Aid (Private Sector Contracts) Debate

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Department: Department for International Development

Overseas Aid (Private Sector Contracts)

Chris Bryant Excerpts
Monday 11th March 2013

(11 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Justine Greening Portrait Justine Greening
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are talking about having a balanced approach with these countries, developing their public sector, but also helping them to develop their private sector. He is right to say that, ultimately, that is the best way to see change on the ground. I would like to see UK business and companies getting more involved with that as a means of supporting it.

Chris Bryant Portrait Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)
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Contrary to some of the rhetoric we have heard from the Government on immigration, the vectors that lead to people from these countries coming to this country and elsewhere in Europe are not the benefit system, but poverty, famine, war and insecurity in their own countries. Surely, then, part of our argument to people who are worried about our spending money on development must be that it is in our best interests to enable people to live a decent, healthy life in their home and stay there.

Justine Greening Portrait Justine Greening
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I never thought I would say this, but I agree with the hon. Gentleman!