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 support her Department is providing to countries in the Lake Chad region to (a) increase the transparency of and (b) reduce corruption in government.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID’s work in Nigeria has a major focus on combatting corruption. This includes programmes promoting greater transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and work to reduce corruption in local service delivery. A new anti-corruption programme will also support the Nigerian authorities to investigate and prosecute corrupt public officials and work with civil society to raise awareness on corruption. As we step up our work in other countries in the Sahel region, efforts to combat corruption will continue across the region.
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 her Department is working with other international donors to ensure that sufficient funding is made available for a rapid and effective response to the famine in South Sudan.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The UN has appealed for US $1.6 billion for South Sudan. The UK was the first major donor to raise the alarm bell and respond, committing £100m to the appeal on 22 February. We announced our funding early in order to amplify the urgency and encourage others to make contributions. I have publicly called for other international donors and the UN and World Bank to swiftly follow our lead.
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 her Department plans to provide more high-impact nutrition interventions as a means of preventing famine.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID is supporting high-impact nutrition interventions as part of our response in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia, and in many other countries where malnutrition remains of concern. This includes treatment for acute malnutrition and support for safe infant and young child feeding. In all four famine-risk countries, nutrition interventions are being provided alongside other services, such as food assistance, essential health support and provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services to help address the causes of malnutrition and to help avert famine.
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 assessment her Department has made of the risk of famine in (a) Nigeria, (b) Yemen and (c) Somalia.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
There is a credible risk of four famines in 2017: South Sudan (where famine has already been declared), Nigeria, Yemen and Somalia. We assess that in Yemen and Somalia the situation is deteriorating, whilst in Nigeria the situation may be beginning to improve in areas that the international community can access. This assessment is based on data from a number of sources, and corroborated with global experts from a range of international agencies.
We have issued a call to action to the international community to step up their response; provided lifesaving treatment for acute malnutrition, food, water and emergency healthcare; and are working closely with other donors and partners to ensure a more efficient and effective response to the crises.
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 steps her Department is taking to support the integration of people with albinism into Malawian society.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
According to the UN, there have been 115 attacks, including 20 murders, against people with albinism in Malawi since 2014. The trend has been decreasing but we remain concerned.
Following the peak in attacks last year, the British High Commissioner to Malawi raised the UK’s concern with Malawi’s Foreign Affairs Minister.
The President of Malawi has taken a strong public stance against these attacks. The Police have made over 80 arrests and trials are underway, with harsher sentences now in place for those convicted. In May 2016, the president appointed a national technical committee to oversee the implementation of a National Response Plan to address the threat to people with albinism, but resourcing remains a challenge.
The UK has increased funding to tackle this issue in support of the Government’s plan. UK Aid supports organisations to protect people with albinism and support their integration into society; has developed a handbook that collates all information about albinism in one place that helps investigators, prosecutors and magistrates bring cases to court and supports district counselling services to survivors of violence and their families.
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 assessment she has made of the capacity of the Malawian authorities to tackle albinism-related crimes in that country.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
According to the UN, there have been 115 attacks, including 20 murders, against people with albinism in Malawi since 2014. The trend has been decreasing but we remain concerned.
Following the peak in attacks last year, the British High Commissioner to Malawi raised the UK’s concern with Malawi’s Foreign Affairs Minister.
The President of Malawi has taken a strong public stance against these attacks. The Police have made over 80 arrests and trials are underway, with harsher sentences now in place for those convicted. In May 2016, the president appointed a national technical committee to oversee the implementation of a National Response Plan to address the threat to people with albinism, but resourcing remains a challenge.
The UK has increased funding to tackle this issue in support of the Government’s plan. UK Aid supports organisations to protect people with albinism and support their integration into society; has developed a handbook that collates all information about albinism in one place that helps investigators, prosecutors and magistrates bring cases to court and supports district counselling services to survivors of violence and their families.
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 support her Department is providing to the Government of Malawi on tackling albinism-related crimes in that country.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
According to the UN, there have been 115 attacks, including 20 murders, against people with albinism in Malawi since 2014. The trend has been decreasing but we remain concerned.
Following the peak in attacks last year, the British High Commissioner to Malawi raised the UK’s concern with Malawi’s Foreign Affairs Minister.
The President of Malawi has taken a strong public stance against these attacks. The Police have made over 80 arrests and trials are underway, with harsher sentences now in place for those convicted. In May 2016, the president appointed a national technical committee to oversee the implementation of a National Response Plan to address the threat to people with albinism, but resourcing remains a challenge.
The UK has increased funding to tackle this issue in support of the Government’s plan. UK Aid supports organisations to protect people with albinism and support their integration into society; has developed a handbook that collates all information about albinism in one place that helps investigators, prosecutors and magistrates bring cases to court and supports district counselling services to survivors of violence and their families.
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 additional support her Department plans to provide to South Sudan in response to the declaration of famine in that country.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Millions of people in South Sudan have been suffering from food shortages for many years. For this reason, we developed a large humanitarian programme and the UK, with other donors, has been able to prevent famine in each of the last three years. When famine was declared this year we were able to respond quickly and confirmed the day after the UN appeal was announced that we will make £100 million available in 2017 to provide food for 500,000 people. We will continue to monitor the situation and encourage other donors to follow the UK’s lead.
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 a Minister of her Department plans to attend the donor conference for Nigeria and Lake Chad in Oslo on 24 February 2017.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The UK is the second largest donor to the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and Lake Chad, and has led the humanitarian response, particularly in North East Nigeria. Last year UKAid reached more than 600,000 people, including more than 30,000 severely malnourished children. We are currently considering who will represent the UK at the Oslo Conference.
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 her Department plans to make a funding pledge at the donor conference on the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and Lake Chad region in Oslo on 24 February 2017.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The UK is the second largest donor to the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and Lake Chad, and has led the humanitarian response, particularly in North East Nigeria. Last year UKAid reached more than 600,000 people, including more than 30,000 severely malnourished children.
The UK will be represented at the Oslo Conference. No decisions have yet been made on a funding pledge.