Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing aid to Sierra Leone to offset the interest payments on that country’s debt.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK is working with the Government of Sierra Leone to create a more prosperous and inclusive country. This includes support to increase revenue generation and improve public financial management to address their debt position.
Sierra Leone is not currently in debt distress, although it is at high risk. There is an existing process through multilateral fora which countries can follow if they wish to pursue debt relief.
In the last 6 months, the UK has actively supported decisions taken by the IMF and the World Bank to provide additional financial support packages for Sierra Leone. Our contributions to the EU and African Development Bank are also supporting the Government of Sierra Leone to finance their development needs.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether anti-corruption measures are being embedded into UK-funded climate resilience programmes in the Pacific Region.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK supports climate resilience programmes in the Pacific Region through the multilateral system. This comprises the Multilateral Development Banks (World Bank and Asian Development Bank), United Nations (UN) Agencies (UN Environment Programme and UN Development Programme) and Multilateral Funds (Climate Investment Funds, Green Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility). The UK Aid Strategy sets out our zero tolerance toward corruption. In line with this strategy we expect each multilateral institution to demonstrate that it also applies a zero tolerance approach toward corruption in its projects and minimises risks of corruption through rigorous project risk assessments and monitoring throughout implementation and delivery.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what mental health care programmes her Department is funding for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID is leading the way in supporting programmes which provide mental health care among the Rohingya. We are supporting 30 ‘child friendly spaces’ to support children with protective services and psychosocial and psychological support. 19 women’s centres will offer a safe space, psychosocial support and activities to women and girls. We also support the provision of medical services, counselling and psychological support to Rohingya refugees who have either witnessed or are survivors of sexual violence.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government sponsors any aid programmes in Cape Verde that support eco-development.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID provides support to ecological development in Cape Verde through the Adaptation for Smallholder Agricultural Programme. DFID’s core contributions to multilateral institutions also support Cape Verde.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the oral contribution by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Treasury Committee on 12 December 2016, in response to Q311, who in her Department is responsible for assessing whether grant applications for Horizon 2020 funding are (a) value for money and (b) in line with Government objectives.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
In response to Q311, at the Treasury Committee on Monday 12 December, the Chancellor referenced the process for EU Structural Funds rather than for Horizon 2020.
The Treasury will underwrite all successful bids for Horizon 2020 that are approved by the Commission, even when specific projects continue beyond our departure from the EU. Government departments will not assess Horizon 2020 grant applications as it is an EU programme, independent of the UK government, and grant funding is awarded by the Commission based on peer review.
UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds while we remain a member of the EU, and we will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with (a) her international counterparts, (b) non-governmental organisations and (c) toiletry companies on the provision of women's health and sanitary products to refugee women and girls.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID is working with our partners to ensure that sexual and reproductive health needs of girls and women affected by crises are prioritised. This includes their right to experience menstruation with dignity. In 2015 alone, UK funding to UNFPA supported their efforts to distribute almost 60,000 menstrual hygiene kits to women and girls living in conflict situations. The UK has committed that, in humanitarian crises, DFID calls for proposals will require the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls to be considered. The UK also supported a joint statement led by UNFPA, highlighting the importance of sexual and reproductive rights in crises, at the World Humanitarian Summit in May this year.
DFID is working globally with a network of civil-society organisations, private sector companies, donors, academics, and international agencies to address stigma and increase access for all women and girls to the education, support, products and services they need to manage menstruation with dignity.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the Department's funding has been allocated to women's health initiatives, including education in (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18 and (c) 2018-19.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The UK, as a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC), is committed to transparent reporting of development assistance in a way that permits international comparisons. Whilst comparison codes are available to separately identify funding for family planning and for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, the same is not true specifically for women's health initiatives.
DFID is in the process of developing our plans to 2020, so future spending has not yet been determined.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with non-governmental organisations on tackling the taboo around women's periods and its effect on women in refugee camps.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID is working with our partners to ensure that sexual and reproductive health needs of girls and women affected by crises are prioritised. This includes their right to experience menstruation with dignity. In 2015 alone, UK funding to UNFPA supported their efforts to distribute almost 60,000 menstrual hygiene kits to women and girls living in conflict situations. The UK has committed that, in humanitarian crises, DFID calls for proposals will require the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls to be considered. The UK also supported a joint statement led by UNFPA, highlighting the importance of sexual and reproductive rights in crises, at the World Humanitarian Summit in May this year.
DFID is working globally with a network of civil-society organisations, private sector companies, donors, academics, and international agencies to address stigma and increase access for all women and girls to the education, support, products and services they need to manage menstruation with dignity.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with (a) her international counterparts, (b) international organisations and (c) NGOs on the situation in Yemen.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The UK is playing a leading role in responding to the crisis in Yemen. DFID Ministers regularly have discussions with international counterparts, organisations, and NGOs on the situation in Yemen. The World Humanitarian Summit in May was obviously a key moment for such discussions.
Senior officials also have regular discussions on the situation in Yemen. Mark Lowcock, DFID Permanent Secretary, recently discussed the humanitarian and economic situation in Yemen with international counterparts on 11 July, at the annual Tidewater conference of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-ordination and Development (OECD-DAC).
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff are employed in her Department's headquarter buildings.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
DFID employs 807 staff in the London Headquarters and 581 staff in the East Kilbride Headquarters.