To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Education: Females
Wednesday 22nd July 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the delivery of 12 years of quality education for every girl in each Official Development Assistance-eligible country.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated the global learning crisis, especially for the most marginalised. It has been estimated that, at the peak of school closures, 1.3 billion children – 650 million girls - were removed from primary and secondary education. Girls face particular vulnerabilities that mean the most disadvantaged girls are at risk of dropping out of school permanently. As the effects of the COVID-19 crisis play out, the socio-economic impact on girls’ education in developing countries is becoming increasingly clear. From a learning perspective, closures – even with mitigating actions - will significantly reduce learning hours. The effects of school closures in developing countries are also much wider than reduced learning. For many disadvantaged children in developing countries, school closures expose them to increased hunger and malnutrition as well as increased risk of violence against women and girls.

The UK remains committed to 12 years of quality education for all girls. In our most recent published spend of ODA in 2018, our UK Bilateral ODA spend was £686 million and our UK Multilateral ODA spend was £293.7 million. We understand our leadership on girls’ education is more urgent and important than ever. DFID is adapting its bilateral education programmes in 18 countries. The UK has announced £20 million for the UN Children’s Fund crisis appeal, which includes education, and a further £5 million to the Education Cannot Wait fund to support emergency education in fragile contexts. The Global Partnership for Education, to which the UK is the largest donor, is flexing over £200 million to support education sector stability in response to the pandemic. We are also supporting efforts by UNICEF and others to support children back to school when it is safe to do so.

Our education response to the pandemic is two-fold, firstly to ensure preventative measures are taken to keep girls learning and returning to education, mitigating short term risks by focussing on safety, nutrition, wellbeing and the continuity of learning whilst schools are closed. Secondly, by supporting countries to protect and maintain their education budgets and ensuring that we build back better.


Written Question
Education: Disability
Wednesday 22nd July 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the education of children with disabilities in countries eligible for Official Development Assistance.

Answered by Wendy Morton

Before the pandemic, children with disabilities were already among the most marginalised. Emerging evidence suggests the impact of COVID-19 on their education will be significant in ODA eligible countries. Many children with disabilities are excluded from remote learning and as they lack assisted learning devices at home, accessible content and one-to-one support.

That is why the UK’s Ed Tech Hub is working to ensure distance education is inclusive for all learners, including those with disabilities. Through our flagship Girls’ Education Challenge Fund and the Inclusive Education Initiative, we are supporting children with disabilities to access quality education and building the evidence base on how to do this most effectively. And we will lend our full weight to global efforts, including the UNICEF-led campaign to ensure all children can return to school when it is safe to do so, and children with disabilities are not left behind.


Written Question
Education: Refugees
Wednesday 22nd July 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of covid-19 on the adequacy of the education of refugees in Official Development Assistant-eligible countries.

Answered by Wendy Morton

COVID-19 is an education crisis as well as a health crisis, particularly for refugee children who, even before this unprecedented global pandemic, made up the largest group of those out of school. Today, we know that refugee education is a major gap in the COVID-19 response. The longer refugee children are out of school, the less likely they are to return, which is why the UK, as a leading donor to education in emergencies, is determined that refugee children should have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and achieve their full potential.

In response the UK has just announced a new £5.3 million commitment to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to enable more than 5500 teachers to provide vital education for refugee children in 10 countries over the crucial next seven months. In April the UK provided an additional £5 million to Education Cannot Wait to keep the most vulnerable children, including refugees, safe and learning during COVID-19. And we will lend our full weight to global efforts, including the UNICEF-led campaign, to ensure all children can return to school when it is safe to do so, including refugee children.


Written Question
Developing Countries: Education
Thursday 9th July 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will include girls' education as a priority for the UK's forthcoming Presidency of the G7.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The Department for International Development is working closely with other government departments to define the objectives for the UK’s G7 Presidency in 2021. These objectives will be shared in due course.

The UK is a world leader in supporting girls’ education and standing up for the right of every girl to 12 years of quality education is a priority for this government, including through international engagement with partners.


Written Question
Global Partnership for Education
Thursday 9th July 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she plans to host the forthcoming replenishment of the Global Partnership for Education.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The UK is proud to be the largest bilateral donor to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). As a major education multilateral, it has a key role in supporting governments to strengthen their education systems so that all children can receive a quality education.

The UK is keen to play an active part in the 2021 GPE replenishment, and we are exploring the possibility of co-hosting the replenishment.


Written Question
Eritrea: Coronavirus
Tuesday 16th June 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the (a) humanitarian situation and (b) food security in Eritrea as a result of that country's covid-19 response.

Answered by James Duddridge

We are deeply concerned about food insecurity and the worsening humanitarian situation in Eritrea. COVID-19 and the desert locust outbreak are compounding high humanitarian need already caused by residual effects of war and climate change induced disasters. Limited health infrastructure, limited diagnostic capacity, low levels of sanitation coverage and high pre-existing levels of malnutrition and morbidity raise the Eritrean population’s vulnerability. The locust outbreak is destroying crops, livelihoods and essential food supplies. The impact of COVID-19 on domestic market supply chains and household food and income sources could also be significant.

Existing humanitarian and development programmes in Eritrea are being adapted to address current food security challenges. The UK has funded life-saving activity in Eritrea for several years, including providing £4 million to UNICEF in 2019-20 to help treat malnutrition in under-fives and provide access to safe hygiene and sanitation services. The UK has provided £7 million to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Emergency Appeal for the locust outbreak, which includes Eritrea. With UK’s support, the FAO is spraying pesticides on the ground and by air to prevent further damage to crops and livelihoods.


Written Question
Environment Protection: Education
Friday 15th May 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of global education in reducing carbon emissions and tacking climate change.

Answered by James Duddridge

The world must take increased, urgent action to tackle climate change and environmental degradation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Across the world governments, businesses, financial institutions, communities and individuals all need to play a part, and the Government is working hard so that, at the international climate summit next year in Glasgow, we accelerate progress to address these twin global challenges. Education, training and public awareness have a vital role in increasing the understanding of the impacts of climate change and our ability to respond and adapt.


Written Question
Overseas Aid: Education
Monday 11th May 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is providing to global education during the covid-19 pandemic.

Answered by Wendy Morton

Ensuring 12 years of quality education for all children, especially girls, is a UK priority, particularly in responding to the COVID 19 pandemic. This entails mitigating short term risks by focussing on safety, nutrition, wellbeing and learning whilst schools are closed; and supporting countries to protect and maintain education budgets in the longer term.

DFID is adapting its bilateral education programmes in 18 countries. The UK has announced £20 million for the UN Children’s Fund crisis appeal, which includes education, and a further £5 million to the Education Cannot Wait fund to support emergency education in fragile contexts. The Global Partnership for Education, to which the UK is the largest donor, is flexing over £200 million to support education sector stability in response to the pandemic.


Written Question
International Financing Facility for Education
Monday 11th May 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is providing to the International Financing Facility for Education.

Answered by Wendy Morton

The Prime Minister announced a commitment of up to £300 million for the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd) at the UN General Assembly in September 2019, consisting of £100 million in grant funding and around £200 million in paid-in cash and guarantees.

The UK is working closely with the Education Commission and Netherlands to finalise plans for the Facility, which will be based in London. IFFEd will be a vital tool to help ensure education systems are adequately funded during and after the COVID 19 pandemic.


Written Question
Education: Disease Control
Monday 11th May 2020

Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the role of global education in helping to tackle (a) the covid-19 pandemic and (b) future pandemics.

Answered by Wendy Morton

DFID’s objective in responding to the pandemic is to support a robust global public health response that empowers local leadership and works through national and regional systems.

Global education has a critical role to play in this and we are adapting programmes to raise community awareness of the pandemic and protect the most vulnerable. We are using lessons from Ebola and the current response to improve our approach.