Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent assessment he has made of the food security situation in East Africa; and what steps his Department is taking to alleviate the problems.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Food insecurity remains a huge challenge across East Africa. Tens of millions of people throughout the region face 'crisis' levels of food insecurity. The UK is leading efforts to address the crisis. The UK will deliver £89 million of aid to Sudan in 2024/2025, up from nearly £50 million in 2023/2024. On 16 April at a UK convened humanitarian pledging event I [Deputy Foreign Secretary] committed £100 million in aid to Ethiopia which will reach hundreds of thousands of people. Since 2019 the UK has allocated over £1 billion in humanitarian funding to East Africa benefitting millions of people.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the food security situation in Zambia following the recent drought.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We are concerned about the food security situation in the Republic of Zambia and welcome President Hichilema's early action declaring a State of National Disaster and Emergency due to drought. This drought will have huge humanitarian and economic impacts across the country, with approximately 1 million of the 2.2 million hectares of planted maize crops already destroyed, affecting many farming households. On 6 March, the UK rapidly deployed a Humanitarian and Stabilisation Operations Team to help build technical capacity and support the response. We will continue to monitor the situation and support the Republic of Zambia.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the humanitarian situation in the Gambella region of Ethiopia following the migration of people from South Sudan to the area.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Ethiopia hosts nearly 1 million refugees of whom 43%, roughly 420,000 people, originate from South Sudan. The vast majority of South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia reside in seven camps in Gambella region. Refugees experience pressing humanitarian hardships in Gambella due to a combination of factors including recurrent flooding exacerbated by a shortage of donor funding. Between 2022 and 2023 aid agencies recorded a near doubling of cases of severe acute malnutrition among children under five years at Kule refugee camp. The UK is lobbying humanitarian agencies to ensure aid is prioritised effectively and reaches the most vulnerable.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the food security situation in East Africa.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The food security context across East Africa is perilous. More than 1 million people will benefit from UK-funded humanitarian programmes in East Africa this year with the UK providing £143 million to relief agencies.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much aid his Department has provided to Ethiopia in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The official source of data on UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) is Statistics on International Development. The table below shows (in £ thousands) FCDO's and Other Government Departments/other contributors' net bilateral ODA provided for the benefit of Ethiopia from 2017-2021 (the latest year for which data has been published). The UK also spends ODA in the form of unearmarked contributions to multilateral organisations and there is bilateral spend to programmes which benefit multiple countries or regions. Some of this may benefit Ethiopia but it is not possible to provide a specific breakdown.
Table 1: Volume of FCDO and other Government departments' net bilateral ODA provided for the benefit of Ethiopia (2017-2021)
Thousands (£) | |||||
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office | 322,686 | 297,628 | 295,505 | 249,478 | 118,049 |
Other Government Departments/ other contributors | 3,445 | 3,713 | 3,741 | 4,409 | 1,741 |
Total UK Net ODA | 326,131 | 301,341 | 299,246 | 253,887 | 119,790 |
Source: Statistics for International Development https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-on-international-development
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of trends in the level of food security in East Africa.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Humanitarian needs and food insecurity are rising across East Africa. The UN estimates that almost 72 million people will require humanitarian aid in 2023 due to a combination of pressures including ongoing drought, flooding and conflict. Of this number, almost 48 million people currently face "severe" levels of food insecurity. This financial year the UK will allocate at least £156 million in humanitarian support across the region; UK funding will benefit millions of people.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the food security situation in East Africa.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Over 68 million people across the region need humanitarian aid of whom more than 51 million people face severe food insecurity including in Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya and Uganda.
The UK is committed to spending £156m on humanitarian aid in the region this financial year. UK funded humanitarian programmes are making a difference and saving lives.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which Minister is responsible for negotiations with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Foreign Secretary is responsible for negotiations with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol - working closely with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Minister for Europe and Ministers across other departments where relevant.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he last discussed the provision of compensation to UK-based victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism with his Libyan counterpart; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The UK Government reiterates its profound sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and indeed for all victims of the Troubles. The Government set out its position on Mr Shawcross's report on compensation for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism in a Written Ministerial Statement made on 23 March 2021. Mr Shawcross's report was commissioned as an internal scoping report, to provide internal advice to Ministers. Its content is based on private, confidential conversations and information shared on this basis. The responsibility for providing compensation specifically for the actions of the Qadhafi regime lies with the Libyan State. The Government has repeatedly urged the Libyan authorities, including at the highest levels of the Libyan government, to engage with UK victims and their representatives, and to address their claims for compensation.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he or his predecessors last discussed the provision of compensation to UK-based victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism with his Libyan counterpart; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The UK Government reiterates its sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and for all victims of the Troubles. The then Minister for the Middle East and North Africa set out the Government's position on compensation for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism in a Written Ministerial Statement made on 23 March 2021. The responsibility for providing compensation specifically for the actions of the Qadhafi regime lies with the Libyan State. The Government has repeatedly urged the Libyan authorities, including at the highest levels of the Libyan government, to engage with UK victims and their representatives, and to address their claims for compensation.