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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 29 Mar 2017
Oral Answers to Questions

"5. What discussions her Department has had with UN institutions on the future funding of aid programmes. ..."
Richard Arkless - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 29 Mar 2017
Oral Answers to Questions

"UN aid programmes are an investment on behalf of all citizens, so, given their importance, I was surprised to read some of the sweeping statements in the multilateral review. Does the Secretary of State accept that if institutions are to be reformed, perhaps that should be done with the co-operation …..."
Richard Arkless - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 29 Mar 2017
Oral Answers to Questions

"There seems to be wide agreement across the House that foreign aid is a good thing and an investment, yet the public debate, driven by populism, is incredibly toxic. What are the Government doing to detoxify the public debate surrounding foreign aid?..."
Richard Arkless - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 16 Nov 2016
Oral Answers to Questions

"T3. Does the Secretary of State understand the frustrations felt by DFID’s partners in civil society organisations and in the wider world about the continued delay in the publication of the bilateral and multilateral aid reviews? When will they be published, and will there be a statement or a chance …..."
Richard Arkless - View Speech

View all Richard Arkless (SNP - Dumfries and Galloway) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Written Question
Zika Virus: South America
Monday 6th June 2016

Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions the Government has had with (a) the World Health Organisation and (b) other stakeholders on the response to the spread of the Zika virus in South America.

Answered by Nick Hurd

The Department for International Development is working with the Department for Heath, who are leading the UK government’s response to Zika, and Public Health England and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This includes supporting the World Health Organisation in galvanising an effective international response.

We are not only concerned exclusively by the spread of Zika in the Americas but are equally concerned by the possible spread to other parts of the world - in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia where countries have less capacity to cope with such a disease.

The UK is supporting and commissioning research to better understand the Zika virus, its epidemiology and impacts, with particular focus on the risk to developing countries, and research into interventions to address this virus. This includes:

  • DFID and Wellcome providing funding to commission Zika research on specific topics including understanding the spread of the disease and variation between Zika strains, the effectiveness of new and existing approaches to vector control.
  • A general call for research proposals jointly issued by the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and the Newton Fund for rapid turnaround projects. These studies will include disease surveillance, epidemiology, Zika transmission, research into Zika virus and clinical outcomes.
  • The Department of Health’s UK Vaccine Network funding the University of Glasgow to develop a Zika vaccine.

DFID is in the process of allocating more resources to the WHO for disease control preparedness, including Zika and Yellow Fever, including £4 m for Africa, £1.3 m for the Caribbean and £4 m for the rest of the world. DH and DFID officials along with representatives from key agencies – European Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection (ECHO), Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Inst Pasteur, EU Research Brussels, Paul Allen Foundation, as well as Canada, Japan, France and Australia - participated in a WHO/Donor Teleconference on 20 April to further coordinate response to Zika.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 16 Mar 2016
Oral Answers to Questions

"1. What development support her Department plans to provide to Malawi over the current spending review period...."
Richard Arkless - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 16 Mar 2016
Oral Answers to Questions

"Does the Secretary of State agree that domestic resource mobilisation is one of the best ways to ensure that poorer countries can fix their own problems? What conversations has she had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ensure that the new tax treaty between Malawi and the UK helps …..."
Richard Arkless - View Speech

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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 10 Feb 2016
Refugees: UK Government Policy

"I beg to move,

That this House has considered UK Government policy on refugees.

It is a huge privilege to serve under your chairladyship, Mrs Main...."
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 10 Feb 2016
Refugees: UK Government Policy

"It is perhaps a little bit more politically correct.

Make no mistake—this country faces its biggest humanitarian crisis of our lifetime. The civil war in Syria has cost the lives of almost a quarter of a million people since it began. The UN estimates that over half of Syria’s pre-wartime …..."
Richard Arkless - View Speech

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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 10 Feb 2016
Refugees: UK Government Policy

"Of course, I disagree with that assertion. There was a very prolonged debate on the Floor of the House when both sides had the opportunity to put their points of view across. I sincerely hope that the hon. Gentleman’s assertion is proved correct—history will be our judge—but my view is …..."
Richard Arkless - View Speech

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