Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial support his Department is offering to support humanitarian assistance to migrants along the Greek-Turkish border.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has a strong relationship with Greece on migration that was enhanced on 22 April 2020 in a joint migration action plan. We continue to offer support to the Greek Government to alleviate pressure and deliver sustainable improvements in the Greek migration system. We support vital search and rescue operations in the Aegean and have provided funding for emergency winter supplies for migrants in the Greek islands.
The UK has a similarly strong relationship with the Turkish government. We continue to contribute to the €6 billion Facility for Refugees in Turkey, which supports Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey. Through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) we work to strengthen Turkey’s national migration institutions and their migration policies. We do not have specific humanitarian programmes focused on the Greek-Turkish border.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much and what proportion of Official Development Assistance was spent on tackling female genital mutilation in each financial year since 2015.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK leads the world in our support to the Africa-led movement to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). In 2018, we announced a further £50 million UK aid package – the biggest single donor investment worldwide to date – to tackle this issue across the most-affected countries in Africa.
The table below sets out how much DFID spent on specific programmes to end FGM in the years 2015-18. Estimates for 2019 spending will be available in autumn 2020.
DFID also supports efforts to end FGM through wider programmes and multi-donor funds which address sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, including FGM. It is not possible to disaggregate the FGM-specific spend in these programmes, so the table does not reflect the entirety of DFID spend in this area.
in £ | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
FGM programme specific ODA Spend | £8.1 m | £10.0m | £9.4m | £5.2m |
FGM spend as % of DFID ODA | 0.083% | 0.102% | 0.093% | 0.048% |
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what oversight his Department plans to provide for partnerships between the City of London and African partners with reference to UK aid.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As one of the world’s largest capital markets and a global centre of financial expertise, the UK has a central role to play in channelling private capital to developing economies. We want to ensure that the City of London is a leading financial centre for the developing world, supporting economic growth, job creation and an exit from aid.
That is why at the UK-Africa Investment Summit we announced almost £400 million in UK aid support for initiatives that will improve financial systems and regulations of 45 developing nations in Africa, make it easier for global investors to invest in Africa at scale, and help African governments and companies to raise international capital in their own currencies.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what training her Department has provided to (a) general civil servants, (b) fast stream civil servants and (c) senior civil servants on understanding the scrutiny and legislative roles of the UK Parliament; how many such courses have taken place; and how many civil servants have attended such training courses in each of the last five years.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID holds limited data in response to this question. Some staff have completed the Parliamentary process training (online e-learning only). The attendance data, below, covers the period 1st April 2015 – 9th May 2018. There is no data recorded prior to April 2015.
Year | No. of Participants | Grade Breakdown |
April 2015 – Mar 2016 | 12 | 3 x Fast Streamers 2 x A2 1 x A2 (L) 5 x B1 1 x B2 |
April 2016 – Mar 2017 | 13 | 1 x A1 1 x A2 1 x A2 (L) 7 x B1s 3 x B2s |
April 2017 – Mar 2018 | 12 | 1 x A2 1 x A2 (L) 4 x B1 4 x B2 1 x C1 1 x C2 |
Total: | 37 |
DFID’s Parliamentary branch provides optional ad hoc training throughout the year on the processes of Parliament. While figures on attendance for the previous five years are unavailable, these short courses are open to civil servants of all grades.
All employees are responsible for their own personal development, supported by the line manager and have access to Civil Service Learning.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what training her Department has provided to (a) general civil servants, (b) fast stream civil servants and (c) senior civil servants on devolution and inter-governmental relations; how many such courses have taken place; and how many civil servants have attended such training courses in each of the last five years.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
DFID has provided a range of in-house learning on devolution, including one to one training and training tailored for specific teams. Learning material is made available to staff at all grades.
DFID provided two devolution training days (2016 and 2017) with specialist staff and learning materials available in public areas in both London and East Kilbride HQ locations.
A number of DFID staff also attended devolution events run by the Cabinet Office and other UK Government Departments.
DFID has not provided training on inter-governmental relations.
All staff have access to the Civil Service e-learning training related to devolution and inter-governmental relations courses listed below:
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what translation arrangements her Department has put in place to enable efficient and accurate handling of Welsh language correspondence from (a) MPs and (b) the general public.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Department for International Development obtains services to translate Welsh language correspondence as required.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department plans to spend on projects relating to the UK leaving the EU in the next five years; and if she will list the projects to which that funding has been assigned.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
EU Exit is an all-of-government operation and the Department for International Development is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning.
My department has no current plans for any spends on projects that relate to the UK leaving the EU in the next five years.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff in her Department have responsibilities relating to the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Exit is an all-of-government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning.
Staff within the DFID Europe Department and DFID Trade for Development team based in the Department for International Trade, lead on providing advice to Ministers on EU Exit and exit-related issues.
Members of staff across the Department also provide advice and analysis on EU Exit issues as required.
Given the interactions between EU Exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much and what proportion of her Department's expenditure has been identified as relating to its work on the UK leaving the EU in 2017-18.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Exit is an all-of-government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning.
EU Exit is managed within the existing departmental budget and given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing the level of UK aid to Eastern Europe; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding the allocation of UK official development assistance (ODA) to ensure that it is used most effectively to tackle global challenges in our national interest, in line with the UK Aid Strategy.
The main mechanism for providing UK bilateral ODA in Eastern Europe is the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). This includes support to economic and political reform delivered to five countries – including Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine – through the Good Governance Fund (GGF).