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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
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Thursday 29th February 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the Minimum Income Requirement changes on the Armed Forces' ability to recruit personnel from (a) the Commonwealth and (b) Nepal.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 26 February 2024, to Questions 13874, 13876, 13877, 13878 and 13879.


Written Question
Nepal: Castes
Tuesday 20th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of caste-based discrimination in Nepal; what part of the Overseas Development Assistance is being used to support Dalit women across South Asia and specifically in Nepal; and what resources they have made available for grassroots organisations supporting Dalit women’s rights.

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

Gender inequality and social exclusion are significant challenges in Nepal. Whilst Nepal has a progressive constitution and many progressive laws and policies, implementation issues remain. The rights of women and girls is one of FCDO's core goals in Nepal. We fund grassroot organisations which work with the most vulnerable including Dalit communities and regularly engage with Dalit organisations to inform our existing and future programming. The UK is invested in shifting negative norms in society and institutions, improving processes and strengthening systems. Full information on our programmes can be found on DevTracker.


Written Question
Gurkha Welfare Trust
Thursday 15th February 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the Gurkha Welfare Trust in each year since 2019.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) is an independent charity that works closely with the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Its focus is on the Gurkha welfare pensioners who need the most assistance. Minsters from the MOD have met with the GWT twice since 2019.

The Minister for Defence People and Families met with the GWT Chairman and others in Nepal in January 2023 where he saw for himself the excellent work carried out by the GWT to support our Gurkha veterans and in September 2023, he met the GWT Executive Team and Directors in 2023 to better understand the medical provision in Nepal.


Written Question
Gurkhas: Veterans
Thursday 15th February 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he expects there to be further tripartite talks between (a) his Department, (b) Gurkha veterans and (c) the government of Nepal.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 12925 on 8 February 2024.


Written Question
Gurkhas: Pensions
Thursday 15th February 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates has the Minister for Defence People and Families had discussions with representatives from Nepal on pensions for Gurkha veterans in the UK in each year since 2019.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee, which is jointly chaired by the Minister for Defence People and Families and His Excellency, The Ambassador of Nepal, met on the following dates: 3 November 2022, 19 April 2023, and the 22 November 2023. The next Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee is due to take place 27 March 2024.

In order to facilitate in depth technical discussion about welfare and pension concerns, a working group was set up. The membership of the working group includes Government of Nepal representatives, Gurkha veterans and widows as well as MOD and officials from other relevant Government departments. The working group met on: 30 November 2022, 15 December 2022, 15 June 2023, and the 11 September 2023. The next working group is due to meet on the 21 February 2024.

The Government’s view is that the Gurkha Pension Scheme is fair. Gurkha pensions are different, but these differences are objectively and reasonably justified and well suited to the circumstances of the time. The legal basis for Gurkha pensions has been upheld by three Judicial Reviews since 2003, including a case that went to the European Court of Human Rights.

The Tripartite Agreement 1947 (TPA 1947) is an agreement between the UK, Nepal and India that provides the formal basis for the employment of the Brigade of Gurkhas within the British Army. There are no Tripartite discussions currently.


Written Question
Gurkhas: Pensions
Thursday 15th February 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Government of Nepal on pensions for Gurkha veterans in the UK.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee, which is jointly chaired by the Minister for Defence People and Families and His Excellency, The Ambassador of Nepal, met on the following dates: 3 November 2022, 19 April 2023, and the 22 November 2023. The next Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee is due to take place 27 March 2024.

In order to facilitate in depth technical discussion about welfare and pension concerns, a working group was set up. The membership of the working group includes Government of Nepal representatives, Gurkha veterans and widows as well as MOD and officials from other relevant Government departments. The working group met on: 30 November 2022, 15 December 2022, 15 June 2023, and the 11 September 2023. The next working group is due to meet on the 21 February 2024.

The Government’s view is that the Gurkha Pension Scheme is fair. Gurkha pensions are different, but these differences are objectively and reasonably justified and well suited to the circumstances of the time. The legal basis for Gurkha pensions has been upheld by three Judicial Reviews since 2003, including a case that went to the European Court of Human Rights.

The Tripartite Agreement 1947 (TPA 1947) is an agreement between the UK, Nepal and India that provides the formal basis for the employment of the Brigade of Gurkhas within the British Army. There are no Tripartite discussions currently.


Written Question
Gurkhas: Veterans
Thursday 15th February 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department has held tripartite discussions with Gurkha veterans and the Government of Nepal since 2022.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee, which is jointly chaired by the Minister for Defence People and Families and His Excellency, The Ambassador of Nepal, met on the following dates: 3 November 2022, 19 April 2023, and the 22 November 2023. The next Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee is due to take place 27 March 2024.

In order to facilitate in depth technical discussion about welfare and pension concerns, a working group was set up. The membership of the working group includes Government of Nepal representatives, Gurkha veterans and widows as well as MOD and officials from other relevant Government departments. The working group met on: 30 November 2022, 15 December 2022, 15 June 2023, and the 11 September 2023. The next working group is due to meet on the 21 February 2024.

The Government’s view is that the Gurkha Pension Scheme is fair. Gurkha pensions are different, but these differences are objectively and reasonably justified and well suited to the circumstances of the time. The legal basis for Gurkha pensions has been upheld by three Judicial Reviews since 2003, including a case that went to the European Court of Human Rights.

The Tripartite Agreement 1947 (TPA 1947) is an agreement between the UK, Nepal and India that provides the formal basis for the employment of the Brigade of Gurkhas within the British Army. There are no Tripartite discussions currently.


Written Question
Development Aid: Sanitation and Water
Friday 9th February 2024

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent steps his Department is taking to increase the effectiveness of its aid programmes in the context of the Government implementing the sixth sustainable development goal.

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

To improve the effectiveness of UK Aid programmes that contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 6, the UK Government has shifted our approach from the direct provision of services to supporting partner governments to strengthen systems, a key theme in the recently published International Development White Paper. Our new WASH Systems for Health programme, mobilising in Bangladesh, Nepal, Malawi, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, contributes to this shift. We also use our convening power on the world stage, for example through chairing sessions at UN Water 2023 or via Sanitation and Water for All, to influence broader sector change.


Written Question
Gurkhas: Veterans
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Tripartite talks between his Department, Gurkha veterans and the government of Nepal are expected to be concluded this month.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) highly values the Service of all members of the Armed Forces, including the Gurkhas who have a long and distinguished history of service to the UK, both at home and overseas.

The issues raised by members of the Gurkha veteran community are historical and complex. The MOD takes its responsibilities to our Gurkha veterans very seriously. We continue to welcome the highly constructive engagement we have had through the Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Committee and remain committed to supporting them and their families during and after their Service with the British Army. There is currently no end date to conclude these discussions.