Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what critical services his Department is currently funding in (a) Cox's Bazar and (b) Dhaka.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has major health and humanitarian programmes in Cox’s Bazar and across Bangladesh, including in Dhaka. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of essential health and humanitarian services. UK Aid has re-prioritised activities to tackle the immediate health impacts and the broader socio-economic effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. This includes the Rohingya refugees and surrounding communities in Cox’s Bazar, where the UK has committed £256 million since 2017. Rapid humanitarian responses will remain a priority given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate and man-made disasters. Any increases will depend on the outcome of the current ODA reprioritisation review.
The UK has allocated £21 million so far to support the priorities set out in the Government of Bangladesh's Preparedness and Response plan. This includes more than £7 million to support national health systems and £3 million through UNDP to reach more than 2 million of the poorest people. More than £11 million has been allocated to existing UN and NGO partners to prepare for COVID-19 and maintain critical humanitarian services in the Rohingya refugee camps.
DFID and Unilever are collaborating on a mass global handwashing campaign, which will run across TV, radio, print and social media to help change people’s behaviour in countries across Africa and Asia, including Bangladesh.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will increase funding to essential medical and humanitarian programmes in (a) Cox's Bazar, and (b) Dhaka for both (i) regular and (ii) covid-19 related activities in 2020.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has major health and humanitarian programmes in Cox’s Bazar and across Bangladesh, including in Dhaka. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of essential health and humanitarian services. UK Aid has re-prioritised activities to tackle the immediate health impacts and the broader socio-economic effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. This includes the Rohingya refugees and surrounding communities in Cox’s Bazar, where the UK has committed £256 million since 2017. Rapid humanitarian responses will remain a priority given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate and man-made disasters. Any increases will depend on the outcome of the current ODA reprioritisation review.
The UK has allocated £21 million so far to support the priorities set out in the Government of Bangladesh's Preparedness and Response plan. This includes more than £7 million to support national health systems and £3 million through UNDP to reach more than 2 million of the poorest people. More than £11 million has been allocated to existing UN and NGO partners to prepare for COVID-19 and maintain critical humanitarian services in the Rohingya refugee camps.
DFID and Unilever are collaborating on a mass global handwashing campaign, which will run across TV, radio, print and social media to help change people’s behaviour in countries across Africa and Asia, including Bangladesh.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps she has taken to ensure the resumption and continuation of critical (a) routine-vaccination, (b) sexual and reproductive health and (c) gender-based violence services in Cox's Bazar Bangladesh following the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are pressing the UN and NGOs to resume vaccinations in the camps in Cox’s Bazar. WHO is supporting health authorities at national and local levels and the Government of Bangladesh recently introduced a new strategy and workplan to resume vaccination outreach in all camps. Routine vaccination sessions were reduced during the initial stages of the pandemic but are now gradually improving at the national level.
The Government of Bangladesh decided early in the crisis to deliver the national ‘Essential Service Package’ to the refugees, which includes contraceptive options, ante and post-natal care, midwifery services, and menstruation products. These are currently designated as critical services, alongside distribution of hygiene kits.
UK aid-supported gender-based violence (GBV) activities are being implemented across 34 camps, in 35 women friendly spaces/integrated women centres. The UK has provided an additional £400,000 to UNFPA for GBV services. Part of this funding is focused on ensuring critical GBV and child protection services keep operating for all those who need them, and includes disseminating anti-GBV messaging and activities with adolescent boys and girls.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the population of (a) Cox's Bazar and (b) Dhaka.
Answered by Nigel Adams
High population density, overcrowded housing, underlying illnesses and poverty make Bangladesh, and Dhaka in particular, vulnerable to COVID-19. Bangladesh is trying to address the challenges of COVID-19 with a weak healthcare system and limited financial resources. Bangladesh’s capacity to test for COVID-19 and to isolate and treat patients remains very limited. UK aid is preparing and strengthening the health system to reach the poorest and most vulnerable communities with access to water and sanitation, awareness raising information, and food assistance to support them during the prolonged lockdown.
The Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 due to underlying illnesses and overcrowded camps. Any disruption to essential services as a result of restrictions on agencies’ access to the camps increases health and protection risks, particularly for women and girls. The impact of the virus on the livelihoods of host communities could result in increasing hostility to refugees and humanitarian agencies. UK aid is being used to establish treatment centres, distribute soap, and improve access to clean water. Our support is helping to raise awareness about personal hygiene, share information and reach out to the most vulnerable people with advice on social distancing and other prevention measures.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to continue providing essential medical and humanitarian services in (a) Cox's Bazar and (b) Dhaka.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has major health and humanitarian programmes in Cox’s Bazar and across Bangladesh, including in Dhaka. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of essential health and humanitarian services. UK Aid has re-prioritised activities to tackle the immediate health impacts and the broader socio-economic effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. This includes the Rohingya refugees and surrounding communities in Cox’s Bazar, where the UK has committed £256 million since 2017. Rapid humanitarian responses will remain a priority given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate and man-made disasters. Any increases will depend on the outcome of the current ODA reprioritisation review.
The UK has allocated £21 million so far to support the priorities set out in the Government of Bangladesh's Preparedness and Response plan. This includes more than £7 million to support national health systems and £3 million through UNDP to reach more than 2 million of the poorest people. More than £11 million has been allocated to existing UN and NGO partners to prepare for COVID-19 and maintain critical humanitarian services in the Rohingya refugee camps.
DFID and Unilever are collaborating on a mass global handwashing campaign, which will run across TV, radio, print and social media to help change people’s behaviour in countries across Africa and Asia, including Bangladesh.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant the Answer of 20 May 2020 to Question HL 4066 on Overseas Aid: Coronavirus, what assessment she has made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the provision of and access to essential health and humanitarian services in (a) Cox's Bazar and (b) Dhaka.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has major health and humanitarian programmes in Cox’s Bazar and across Bangladesh, including in Dhaka. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of essential health and humanitarian services. UK Aid has re-prioritised activities to tackle the immediate health impacts and the broader socio-economic effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. This includes the Rohingya refugees and surrounding communities in Cox’s Bazar, where the UK has committed £256 million since 2017. Rapid humanitarian responses will remain a priority given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate and man-made disasters. Any increases will depend on the outcome of the current ODA reprioritisation review.
The UK has allocated £21 million so far to support the priorities set out in the Government of Bangladesh's Preparedness and Response plan. This includes more than £7 million to support national health systems and £3 million through UNDP to reach more than 2 million of the poorest people. More than £11 million has been allocated to existing UN and NGO partners to prepare for COVID-19 and maintain critical humanitarian services in the Rohingya refugee camps.
DFID and Unilever are collaborating on a mass global handwashing campaign, which will run across TV, radio, print and social media to help change people’s behaviour in countries across Africa and Asia, including Bangladesh.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent estimate she has made of the level of procurement of British steel by her Department in the last 12 months.
Answered by Rory Stewart
DFID does not procure steel.