Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial assistance her Department is providing (a) directly and (b) indirectly to the government of Burma.

DFID is providing no financial assistance directly to the government of Burma. Indirect financial assistance happens in two projects. DFID supports a World Bank trust fund to assist the Government’s Public Financial Management (PFM) modernisation programme. Part of the fund is transferred into designated accounts which the Government and Parliament can use to procure goods and services to support the PFM modernisation programme. Use of the money must be approved by the World Bank and must follow World Bank procurement guidelines. DFID also supports the 3MDG health trust fund which uses some of its funds in support of the Government’s national health programmes, but without actual transfer to government bank accounts.