Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department's priority countries are; and which of her Department's country offices will receive reduced support following her Department's recent policy reviews.
Answered by Rory Stewart
As the Bilateral Development Review set out, DFID is increasing investment in fragile states and countries emerging from conflict, and significantly scaling up support for the Middle East. We are focussing more strongly on the Sahel, alongside our work in northern Nigeria, Somalia and other countries in the ‘arc of instability’ in Africa.
DFID’s allocations are continually reviewed to ensure development assistance is used most effectively to achieve poverty reduction in the national interest and responds to changing global needs. Planned programme allocations for 2016/17 and 2017/18 in the countries where we currently have direct activities were published in DFID’s 2015/16 Annual Report.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she plans to publish details of funding allocations to multilateral organisations reviewed in the Multilateral Development Review.
Answered by Rory Stewart
All UK ODA funding to multilateral organisations is published annually as part of the UK Government’s Statistics on International Development. The 2015 allocations can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-2016
Future allocations to multilaterals will take account of the findings of the Multilateral Development Review. We will announce any new funding agreements at the time they are reached.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006 to reflect the expiration of the Millennium Development Goals and the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The Sustainable Development Goals have been integrated into relevant Departments’ Single Departmental Plans. Departments will report against progress towards the goals through their Annual Reports and Accounts. There is no current plan to bring forward legislative amendments to the International Development Act (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2016 to Question 49681, if the Government will reinstate ageing as part of the Ministerial brief on inclusive societies in any further ministerial portfolio changes.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Ageing makes up part of the policy portfolio which is managed by Inclusive Societies Department. Lord Bates oversees the work of Inclusive Societies Department. Information on Ministerial portfolios is in the process of being updated on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will attend the sixty-first session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York in March 2017.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) provides an important opportunity to advance better outcomes for girls and women.
The government will ensure high level representation at the next UNCSW in March 2017.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
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 promoting a cross-government approach to implementing the UN's Step it Up for Gender Equality initiative.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The UK Government has a strong domestic and international record on promoting gender equality. Although not working specifically under the auspices of UN Women’s Step it Up for Gender Equality initiative, the UK Cabinet is firmly committed to this agenda.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she plans to meet the Executive Director of UN Women.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The Secretary of State met the Executive Director of UN Women during the UN General Assembly in September, and would expect to meet her again in the course of regular business.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what transitional support is in place for non-government organisations reaching the end of a Programme Partnership Arrangement with her Department.
Answered by Rory Stewart
In June 2015 all Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA) partners were given 18 months’ notice of the end of the programme. The final nine months of that period were specifically designed to enable all organisations to consolidate gains from Programme Partnership Arrangement funded activities and consider transition.
DFID officials are working with Bond, to provide advice and support for organisations to provide transition support where required.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the financial support that the Government has provided to UNESCO and any of its subsidiary agencies or national committees has been counted towards the 0.7 per cent of GNI ODA target in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Of the UK Government’s financial support to UNESCO, contributions which count towards ODA over each of the last five years are outlined in the following table:
UK Financial Year | Total UK government financial support to UNESCO (£) | ODA year | Total UK government financial support to UNESCO of which counted towards 0.7% ODA spend (£) |
2011/12 | 29,709,448 | 2011 | 8,689,250 |
2012/13 | 11,298,791 | 2012 | 17,094,203 |
2013/14 | 13,248,821 | 2013 | 7,729,373 |
2014/15 | 13,379,400 | 2014 | 7,813,414 |
2015/16 | 10,502,053 | 2015 | 6,060,535 |
According to OECD DAC rules, 60% of funding to UNESCO can be counted as ODA. ODA is assessed on a calendar year basis, therefore UNESCO funding which is counted as ODA may differ significantly to annual contributions depending on the date of disbursement. The non-ODA remainder of UNESCO’s budget funds activities which benefit the UK.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much financial support the Government has provided to UNESCO and its subsidiary agencies or national committees in each of the last five years; and from which government departments such support has come.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID and DCMS have managed the UK Government’s contributions to UNESCO and its subsidiary agencies over the last five years, a breakdown of which is denoted in the following table:
| Total DFID contributions to UNESCO and its subsidiaries (£) | Department of Culture, Media and Sport contributions to UNESCO and its subsidiaries (Contribution to World Heritage Fund) (£) | Total UK government financial support to UNESCO (£) |
2011/12 | 29,577,145 | 132,303 | 29,709,448 |
2012/13 | 11,165,043 | 133,748 | 11,298,791 |
2013/14 | 13,137,912 | 110,910 | 13,248,821 |
2014/15 | 13,275,902 | 100,498 | 13,379,400 |
2015/16 | 10,400,893 | 101,160 | 10,502,053 |
DFID pays the core contribution to UNESCO on behalf of the UK Government and chooses to fund additional programmes for dedicated work on specific issues.