Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had with his counterparts throughout the world on ensuring that universal health coverage is a central focus of the replenishment period and strategy review of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
Achieving universal health coverage is a UK priority and an overarching goal for DFID’s contribution to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The UK’s £1.44 billion of support to Gavi between 2016-2020 has saved 1.4 million lives from vaccine-preventable diseases in 68 of the world’s poorest countries.
The UK is proud to be hosting the Gavi Replenishment Conference on 3-4th June, to secure Gavi the funds it needs to immunise 300 million more children and save at least 7 million lives between 2021 and 2025. The UK’s commitment to Gavi is central to our work to end preventable deaths of mothers, new-borns and children by 2030.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to end preventable child deaths by 2030.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
The UK is a leading player in global health and as announced in October 2019 has made it a priority to step up efforts to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborn babies and children in the developing world by 2030. This is in line with our commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The UK is proud of this ambitious commitment and will bring together a range of investments in health (such as health research, global health initiatives and programmes delivered in specific countries) behind a common goal, working with others to end preventable deaths of mothers, new-born babies and children.
For example; as hosts of the Gavi Replenishment Conference this year, the UK government are committed to help secure the $7.4 billion that Gavi needs to deliver its life-saving work in the next five years. This funding will allow Gavi to vaccinate 300 million more children and save 7-8 million lives from preventable deaths by 2025. We will be publishing a paper in due course setting out our aims and objectives for reaching this goal by 2030.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will (a) increase the funding allocated to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and (b) support that funding increase by taking steps to strengthen health systems in developing countries.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
The UK is proud to be hosting the Gavi Replenishment Conference on 3-4th June, to secure Gavi the funds it needs to immunise 300 million more children and save at least 7 million lives between 2021 and 2025.
We recognise the importance of the UK’s funding to Gavi; our £1.44 billion of support to Gavi between 2016-2020 has saved 1.4 million lives from vaccine-preventable diseases in 68 of the world’s poorest countries. The UK’s commitment to Gavi is also central to our work to end preventable deaths of mothers, new-borns and children by 2030.
Gavi’s next strategic period is critically important for the UK as we work together to improve intra-country equity and coverage. Immunisation is often a child’s first point of contact with their health service. By extending routine immunisation to reach the underserved, particularly zero-dose children who have never been vaccinated, Gavi is building a foundation for stronger national health systems. The UK will also prioritise ensuring our investment in Gavi is sustainable by supporting countries to effectively transition from Gavi support to increased domestic funding.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which fruitless payments in excess of £30,000 her Department has made by (a) recipient of each such payment, (b) purpose of each such payment, (c) value of each such payment and (d) reason that payment was classified as fruitless in the 2017-18 financial year to date.
Answered by Alistair Burt
There have been no fruitless payments in excess of £30,000 made by Department for International Development (DFID) in the 2017-18 financial year to date.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help end childhood deaths from pneumonia by 2030.
Answered by Alistair Burt
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I provided on 5 December to Question number 116183.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid the UK has provided for the citizens of Venezuela in the past five years.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Details of all UK ODA can be found in the annual Statistics on International Development.