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Written Question
South Asia: Development Aid
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the (1) actual, and (2) projected, aid contributions to individual countries in South Asia, broken down by category of project.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We do not have a breakdown by project category of future spend. Programme allocations are continually reviewed to respond to changing global needs, including humanitarian crises, fluctuations in GNI and other ODA allocation decisions.

We do have information on project category spend for previous calendar years which is published in the statistics on international development. This data is based on calendar year not financial year and covers the whole of HMG. Please see below data based on 2022, the last available calendar year.

2022

2022 Total

Row Labels

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

Bhutan

India

Maldives

Nepal

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Administrative costs (non-sector allocable)

£273,832

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£150,105

£0

£423,938

Advanced technical and managerial training

£0

£0

£0

-£54,390

£0

-£2,535

£0

£0

-£56,924

Agricultural development

£1,292,411

£0

£0

£47,020

£0

£0

-£1,361,746

£0

-£22,316

Agricultural policy and administrative management

£0

£2,809

£0

-£152

£0

£0

£0

-£253,566

-£250,909

Agricultural research

£0

£0

£0

£240,948

£0

£0

£7,715

£0

£248,663

Agricultural services

£0

£0

£0

-£2,274,286

£0

£0

£0

£0

-£2,274,286

Anti-corruption organisations and institutions

£2,518,313

£576,402

£0

£0

£0

£175,805

£144,143

£0

£3,414,663

Basic drinking water supply

£0

£350,000

£0

£0

£0

£219,574

£0

£0

£569,574

Basic drinking water supply and basic sanitation

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£639,497

-£1,361,746

£0

-£722,250

Basic health care

£707,157

£250,000

£0

£0

£0

£2,994,645

£387,457

£0

£4,339,258

Basic life skills for adults

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£258,611

£0

£0

£258,611

Basic nutrition

£0

£712,997

£0

£0

£0

£14,770

£0

£0

£727,767

Basic sanitation

£0

£350,000

£0

£0

£0

£37,522

-£2,723,493

£0

-£2,335,971

Biodiversity

£0

£22,328

£0

£165,389

£74,068

£961,707

£37,573

£67,842

£1,328,907

Business development services

£0

£0

£0

£96,736

£0

£0

£0

£0

£96,736

Business policy and administration

£0

£0

£0

£565,783

£0

£0

£437,513

£0

£1,003,296

Civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution

£4,130,547

£1,981,030

£0

£0

£0

£4,399

£2,225,242

£1,355,856

£9,697,073

Communications policy and administrative management

£0

£0

£0

£0

£127,531

£0

£44,422

£0

£171,953

COVID-19 control

£0

£23,407

£0

£802,602

£0

£0

£5,949

£0

£831,958

Culture

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£61,341

£0

£61,341

Culture and recreation

£0

£0

£0

-£22,408

£0

£0

£85,158

£0

£62,750

Decentralisation and support to subnational government

£0

£0

£0

£0

£138,288

£2,475,959

£0

£0

£2,614,248

Democratic participation and civil society

£250,000

£1,394,795

£0

£0

£57,419

£973,571

£443,327

£0

£3,119,111

Domestic revenue mobilisation

£0

-£728,536

£0

£193,016

£0

£117,203

£1,059,571

£0

£641,254

Education and training in water supply and sanitation

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£12,737

£0

£0

£12,737

Education facilities and training

£0

£115,830

£0

£0

£0

£0

£1,464,741

£0

£1,580,571

Education policy and administrative management

£0

£577,278

£0

£97,983

£0

£0

£3,077,249

£0

£3,752,510

Educational research

£0

£361,000

£0

-£266,036

£0

£188,423

£594,639

£0

£878,026

Elections

£0

£12,027

£0

£0

£0

£0

£900

£0

£12,927

Electric mobility infrastructures

£0

£0

£0

£70,000

£0

£0

£0

£0

£70,000

Electric power transmission and distribution (centralised grids)

£0

£0

£0

£68,700

£0

£173,312

£0

£0

£242,012

Emergency food assistance

£128,041,086

£8,635,594

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£136,676,679

Employment creation

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

-£255,005

£0

£0

-£255,005

Ending violence against women and girls

£21,461,697

£1,009,135

£0

£0

£0

£728,846

£3,068,578

£0

£26,268,255

Energy generation, renewable sources - multiple technologies

£0

£0

£0

-£889,376

£0

£1,200,806

£0

£0

£311,430

Energy policy and administrative management

£0

£50,553

£0

£158,146

£0

£368,287

£0

£0

£576,985

Energy research

£0

£0

£0

£23,688

£0

£147,098

£0

£0

£170,786

Energy sector policy, planning and administration

£0

£0

£0

£1,479,122

£0

£0

£0

£0

£1,479,122

Environmental education/training

£0

£0

£48,668

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£48,668

Environmental policy and administrative management

£635,676

£6,904,699

£0

£24,064,426

£0

£4,380,855

£5,812,804

£0

£41,798,459

Environmental research

£0

£120,723

£0

£3,082,518

£0

£863,732

£0

£0

£4,066,974

Facilitation of orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility

£0

£102,902

£0

£0

£0

£234,377

£0

£0

£337,279

Family planning

£265,080

£565,862

£0

£0

£0

£102,500

£3,660,244

£0

£4,593,686

Financial policy and administrative management

£0

£0

£0

£507,690

£0

£0

£301,387

£0

£809,077

Formal sector financial intermediaries

£0

£0

£0

£49,665

£0

£0

£0

£0

£49,665

Health education

£338,898

£0

£0

£0

£0

£219,770

£0

£0

£558,668

Health personnel development

£0

£273,503

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£273,503

Health policy and administrative management

£0

£1,760,392

£0

£3,122,660

£0

£2,298,530

£343,452

£0

£7,525,034

Higher education

£911,301

£649,203

£172,288

£2,693,479

£214,955

£434,329

£1,992,063

£395,690

£7,463,308

Human rights

£0

£1,775,384

£0

£0

£183,646

£0

£0

£0

£1,959,030

Immediate post-emergency reconstruction and rehabilitation

£4,081,072

£2,602,056

£0

£0

£0

£1,382,031

£12

£0

£8,065,171

Industrial development

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£317,516

£0

£0

£317,516

Industrial policy and administrative management

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£1,102,394

£0

£0

£1,102,394

Infectious disease control

£0

£344,911

£0

£106,589

£0

£721,591

£3,657

£0

£1,176,748

Informal/semi-formal financial intermediaries

£1,133,493

£0

£0

£65,012

£0

£129,305

£0

£0

£1,327,810

Information and communication technology (ICT)

£0

£277,978

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£277,978

Legal and judicial development

£0

£562,328

£0

£0

£207,433

£219,762

£1,059,545

£23,435

£2,072,502

Legislatures and political parties

£0

£0

£0

£0

£86,128

£28,936

£0

£0

£115,064

Livestock

£1,133,493

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£1,133,493

Low-cost housing

£0

£0

£0

£7,590

£0

£0

£0

£0

£7,590

Material relief assistance and services

£133,863,525

£7,210,063

£0

£0

£0

£367,000

£13,753,266

£1,840,000

£157,033,854

Media and free flow of information

£0

£27,380

£0

£0

£85,021

£201,771

£0

£0

£314,172

Medical research

£0

£349,577

£0

£3,227,794

£0

£153,028

£1,625,422

£0

£5,355,821

Medical services

£0

£0

£0

£19,694

£0

£0

£0

£0

£19,694

Monetary institutions

£0

£0

£0

-£4,122,509

£0

£367,746

£0

£0

-£3,754,763

Multi-hazard response preparedness

£0

£3,119,353

£0

£0

£0

£2,296,059

-£346,074

£0

£5,069,339

Multisector aid

£10,000,000

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£10,000,000

Multisector education/training

£179,070

£2,964,257

£0

£10,757,244

£0

£1,082,590

£5,089,541

£1,148,813

£21,221,516

Participation in international peacekeeping operations

-£26,486,939

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

-£26,486,939

Personnel development for population and reproductive health

£0

£628,071

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£628,071

Population policy and administrative management

£0

£63,206

£0

£0

£0

£49,325

£159,552

£0

£272,083

Primary education

£677,795

£1,749,487

£0

£96,754

£0

£0

£1,368,615

£0

£3,892,652

Privatisation

£4,424

£0

£0

£62,081

£0

£0

£0

£0

£66,505

Public finance management (PFM)

£0

-£4,128,373

£0

£0

£0

£820,701

£1,854,023

£0

-£1,453,650

Public sector policy and administrative management

£34,999

£576,042

£0

£859,780

£0

£789,046

£91,270

£0

£2,351,137

Relief co-ordination and support services

£59,853,084

£2,072,828

£0

£0

£0

£0

£6,022,939

£0

£67,948,851

Removal of land mines and explosive remnants of war

£5,000,000

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£5,000,000

Reproductive health care

£1,369,857

£1,435,386

£0

£52,362

£0

£490,359

£1,851,776

£0

£5,199,740

Research/scientific institutions

£378,625

£1,287,873

-£72,577

£740,328

£0

£1,049,080

£908,916

£2,760

£4,295,005

Road transport

£0

£0

£0

-£1,137,143

£0

£2,256,726

£1,800

£0

£1,121,383

Rural development

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£202,165

£0

£0

£202,165

Security system management and reform

£0

£43,536

£0

£0

£458,799

£69,946

£0

£0

£572,281

Site preservation

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development

£5,530

£0

£0

£1,245,753

£0

£0

£0

£0

£1,251,283

Social Protection

£0

£1,351,346

£0

£39,879

£0

-£345,949

£226,615

£0

£1,271,891

Solar energy for centralised grids

£0

£0

£0

£117,792

£0

£648,694

£0

£0

£766,486

Statistical capacity building

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£353,100

£0

£0

£353,100

Teacher training

£0

£508,061

£0

£0

£0

£0

£663,698

£0

£1,171,759

Trade facilitation

£5,530

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£133,722

£0

£139,252

Trade policy and administrative management

£6,637

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£203,275

£0

£209,912

Transport policy and administrative management

£0

£0

£0

£69,054

£0

£128,892

£1,200

£0

£199,146

Tuberculosis control

£0

£29,991

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£29,991

Upper Secondary Education (modified and includes data from 11322)

£338,898

£897,000

£0

£0

£0

£0

£985,293

£0

£2,221,190

Urban development

£0

£0

£0

£542,146

£0

£0

£0

£0

£542,146

Urban development and management

£0

£1,050,000

£0

£78,000

£0

£695,269

£781,523

£0

£2,604,792

Vocational training

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£646,527

£0

£0

£646,527

Waste management/disposal

£0

£0

£0

£14,424

£0

£0

£0

£0

£14,424

Water resources conservation (including data collection)

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£219,574

£0

£0

£219,574

Water sector policy and administrative management

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£31,842

£0

£0

£31,842

Water supply - large systems

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£737,655

£0

£0

£737,655

Water supply and sanitation - large systems

£0

£0

£0

-£1,137,143

£0

£0

£0

£0

-£1,137,143

Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutions

£0

£1,800,998

£0

£0

£0

£59,406

£1,444,631

£0

£3,305,036

Grand Total

£352,405,092

£54,672,670

£148,379

£45,728,404

£1,633,288

£37,241,408

£57,842,803

£4,580,830

£554,252,874


Written Question
Maldives: China and India
Thursday 18th January 2024

Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of tensions between India and China over the Maldives.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

HMG has an important bilateral relationship with the Maldives, which is independent of the Maldives' relationships with other countries. We are engaging positively with the new Maldivian Government on a wide range of UK interests. The UK Government understands that all nations have to balance relationships with many countries, and that different governments will take different approaches to their foreign policy. India and China have an important relationship with one another, and any wider issues are for them to resolve bilaterally through dialogue.


Written Question
Trade Agreements
Wednesday 13th December 2023

Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will set out (a) the free trade agreements her Department is currently actively negotiating and (b) the number of FTE officials engaged in this work.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This Government is currently in negotiations with eight partners – India, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Canada, Mexico, Israel, Switzerland, Greenland and the Republic of Korea. We also have plans to start negotiations with Turkey and the Maldives.

With the Machine of Government, Trade Negotiation Group increased its responsibility to cover wider trade policy and FTA implementation. In October 2023, DBT had 722 staff in the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations Group.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: Timor-Leste
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Government has plans to pursue a free trade agreement with East Timor.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We have an ambitious programme of Free Trade Agreement negotiations - the largest such programme in the world - to help our nation become a truly Global Britain. We are currently in negotiations with eight partners, and have plans to start negotiations with Turkey and the Maldives.

The Department does not currently have plans to start a new trade agreement with East Timor. Under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, East Timor benefits from duty free trade with the UK, in all areas apart from arms. It also benefits from some of the simplest and most generous rules of origin in the world.


Written Question
South Asia: Elections
Wednesday 29th November 2023

Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help support free and fair elections in South Asia.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives are all expected to hold elections at different levels in 2024. Elections in Nepal are expected in 2027. The UK believes transparent, democratic governance is in the interests of all people and the long-term stability of every nation. We raise the importance of free and fair elections in our discussions with South Asian governments, and with opposition parties and others. We press for an end to harassment and intimidation of civil society, media and opposition parties. Ministers and HMG officials visiting the region, regularly convey that respect for the rule of law and access to justice are essential in open democracies.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: Maldives
Wednesday 27th September 2023

Asked by: Lord Lansley (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether, and if so when, they will initiate negotiations towards a free trade agreement with the Maldives.

Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade held a public Call for Input into a trade deal with Maldives and is evaluating those responses and other factors to ensure that the opinions and interests of businesses, civil society groups, trade unions, public bodies and individuals are considered.

The start of negotiations would be preceded by the publication of our strategic approach.


Written Question
Chevening Scholarships Programme
Friday 8th September 2023

Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Chevening scholarships have been awarded to each country for awarded for the 2023-24 academic year.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Chevening operates in over 160 countries and territories. For the 2023-24 academic year, our budget of £57.7 million Official Development Assistance (ODA), £1.6 million non-ODA funding, and additional income of around £13.2 million from tuition fee-waivers and external partners allowed us to offer 1440 awards of which 1383 were from ODA funding and 57 from non-ODA funding. Attached is a table indicating numbers from each eligible country. For countries where we offered fewer than five places we withhold the exact number as this would contravene one of the data protection principles. In this case, Sections 40(2) and 40 (3A)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act apply.

ODACountryAwards made (incl. full/part partner funded awards)
ODAAFGHANISTAN22
ODAALBANIA11
ODAALGERIA7
ODAANGOLA / SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE15
ODAARGENTINA15
ODAARMENIA5
ODAAZERBAIJAN7
ODABANGLADESH21
ODABELARUS7
ODABELIZEFewer than 5
ODABHUTAN5
ODABOLIVIA6
ODABOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA6
ODABOTSWANA5
ODABRAZIL46
ODABURUNDIFewer than 5
ODACAMBODIA14
ODACAMEROON / CHAD / EQUATORIAL GUINEA / GABON8
ODACHINA33
ODACOLOMBIA14
ODACONGO, The Democratic Republic Of The/Central African Republic/Republic of CongoFewer than 5
ODACOSTA RICA / NICARAGUA6
ODACOTE D'IVOIRE7
ODACUBA8
ODADJIBOUTIFewer than 5
ODADOMINICAN REPUBLIC/HAITI13
ODAEAST CARIBBEAN ODA (GRENADA, ST LUCIA, DOMINICA, ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA)11
ODAEAST TIMORFewer than 5
ODAECUADOR6
ODAEGYPT30
ODAEL SALVADORFewer than 5
ODAERITREAFewer than 5
ODAEswatiniFewer than 5
ODAETHIOPIA13
ODAGAMBIA5
ODAGEORGIA/South Caucasus14
ODAGHANA / BENIN / TOGO /BURKINA FASO16
ODAGUATEMALA / HONDURAS5
ODAGUINEAFewer than 5
ODAGUYANA / SURINAME5
ODAINDIA38
ODAINDONESIA43
ODAIRAQ18
ODAJAMAICA13
ODAJORDAN8
ODAKAZAKHSTAN9
ODAKENYA33
ODAKOSOVO8
ODAKYRGYZ REPUBLICFewer than 5
ODALAOS13
ODALEBANON10
ODALESOTHO6
ODALIBERIAFewer than 5
ODALIBYA10
ODAMADAGASCAR/COMOROS8
ODAMALAWI6
ODAMALAYSIA41
ODAMALDIVES7
ODAMALIFewer than 5
ODAMAURITANIA5
ODAMAURITIUS7
ODAMEXICO34
ODAMOLDOVA6
ODAMONGOLIA17
ODAMONTENEGRO7
ODAMOROCCO11
ODAMOZAMBIQUE15
ODAMYANMAR11
ODANAMIBIA14
ODANEPAL11
ODANIGERFewer than 5
ODANIGERIA39
ODANORTH MACEDONIA6
ODAOVERSEAS TERRITORIES12
ODAPACIFIC POOL32
ODAPAKISTAN (DOES NOT INCLUDE FELLOWS)46
ODAPALESTINIAN TERRITORIES11
ODAPANAMA5
ODAPARAGUAY17
ODAPERU11
ODAPHILIPPINES23
ODARWANDA8
ODASAMOA + COOK ISLANDSFewer than 5
ODASENEGAL / CAPE VERDE /GUINEA-BISSAU8
ODASERBIA7
ODASIERRA LEONE6
ODASOMALIA17
ODASOUTH AFRICA47
ODASOUTH SUDAN6
ODASRI LANKA10
ODASUDAN14
ODASYRIA15
ODATAJIKISTANFewer than 5
ODATANZANIA17
ODATHAILAND24
ODATUNISIA6
ODATURKEY20
ODATURKMENISTAN6
ODAUGANDA21
ODAUKRAINE37
ODAUZBEKISTAN7
ODAVENEZUELA7
ODAVIETNAM23
ODAYEMEN9
ODAZAMBIA11
ODAZIMBABWE7
Non-ODAAUSTRALIAFewer than 5
Non-ODABAHAMASFewer than 5
Non-ODABARBADOS (+ ST KITTS AND NEVIS)Fewer than 5
Non-ODABRUNEIFewer than 5
Non-ODACANADAFewer than 5
Non-ODACHILEFewer than 5
Non-ODAHONG KONGFewer than 5
Non-ODAICELANDFewer than 5
Non-ODAISRAELFewer than 5
Non-ODAJAPANFewer than 5
Non-ODANEW ZEALANDFewer than 5
Non-ODASEYCHELLESFewer than 5
Non-ODASINGAPORE5
Non-ODASOUTH KOREAFewer than 5
Non-ODATAIWAN5
Non-ODATRINIDAD AND TOBAGOFewer than 5
Non-ODAURUGUAY10
1350

Written Question
Trade: Commonwealth
Wednesday 12th July 2023

Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to increase the level of trade with Commonwealth countries.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK already has trade deals with 33 Commonwealth members. 18 members also benefit from preferential access to the UK’s newly launched Developing Countries Trading Scheme, one of the world’s most generous trade preferential schemes.

Our membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) includes Brunei and Malaysia and are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India. We recently announced future FTA negotiations with the Maldives.

Commonwealth Trade Minister’s met in June to set direction for commonwealth trade and investment where the UK secured important commitments aimed at boosting digital trade and investment facilitation.


Written Question
Visas: Overseas Students
Tuesday 4th April 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to take steps to add the Maldives to the differential evidence requirement list for UK Student Visas..

Answered by Robert Jenrick

The Home Office keeps the differentiated nationals list under review, based on an assessment of objective data, and does not undertake reviews on request or disclose any detail related to the process.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: Maldives
Wednesday 15th February 2023

Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Maldives will be granted the same trade agreement as other Commonwealth Small Island States and no longer be charged 20 per cent tax on fish exports to the UK from their sustainable tuna line fishing; and if so, when.

Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK currently applies the UK Global Tariff of 20% to imports of tuna from the Maldives. This rate is also applied to imports from all other trading partners where preferential arrangements are not in place.

The Government continues to explore pragmatic opportunities to enhance bilateral trade relations with the Maldives in areas of mutual interest, including fishing.