Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1200186

registered interest
date	03/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Developing Countries: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has paused funding decisions for new projects and programmes in the Global South not directly related to tackling the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	54218
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>COVID-19 has caused unprecedented disruption across the world from direct health impacts caused by the virus itself, and indirect effects caused by the response, including on economies, livelihoods and education. We have so far pledged up to £764 million of UK aid, tackling the spread of COVID-19 and mitigating both its primary and secondary impacts.</p><p>Funding decisions are taken on an ongoing basis. We are reviewing our programming to ensure UK aid is spent as effectively as possible to help the world’s poorest. DFID will continue to deliver projects directly related to tackling the coronavirus pandemic but also many projects related to other development issues.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 08/06/2020 15:57:06 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198059

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Development Aid: Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she plans to introduce a stabilisation fund for international non-governmental organisations to continue to deliver aid to people living in extreme poverty in the global south.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52321
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>Civil society organisations (CSOs) are key partners for DFID in our response to COVID-19 and we have pledged new funding specifically for CSOs to support our work to tackle the virus. This includes funding allocated through the Rapid Response Facility and significant funding through the DFID Unilever COVID-19 Hygiene and Behaviour Change Coalition. A new UK Aid Direct funding round has also been launched, some of which has been set aside for rapid access by existing UK Aid Direct grant holders who are able to respond immediately to COVID-19. In addition, International Non-Government Organisations will receive funding through multilateral organisations as downstream partners as part of the UK’s response. As DFID’s country network adapts programming to respond to COVID-19, country teams are considering how they can do this through partners, including through CSOs.</p><p>We are working flexibly with existing civil society partners to respond to the pandemic, maintain delivery of essential programmes and manage the impacts on organisations and staff. DFID is also offering support to all suppliers, including civil society, in line with the provisions of the Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Note and associated guidance for grants. This allows for relief on services and goods provided in the UK, to DFID aid programmes as a last resort and on a case-by-case basis for DFID contracts and grants. UK-based CSOs are also eligible for the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.</p><p>NGOs are fundamental parts of DFID’s work. Given DFID’s support for them runs so deeply through everything we do, there is no plan to create a specific fund.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 08/06/2020 16:01:59 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198298

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Developing Countries: Bank Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's press release, UK calls for global action to protect vital money transfers, published on 22 May 2020, what recent steps her Department has taken to make it easier for diaspora communities in the UK and other countries to continue to transfer money to their relatives during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52330
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>Previous DFID support is already helping to make money transfers easier, by helping 65 million people in the poorest countries access digital financial services so they can receive funds – including from diaspora communities in the UK – via their mobile phones or online. DFID support is also helping to give 2 million more people access to digital remittance services so that they can send and receive money from home.</p><p>In the crisis, the UK Government has made it clear that in the UK people can continue to visit money transfer businesses should they need to, while observing social distancing and staying safe.</p><p>And as referenced in the question, the UK has launched – along with Switzerland, and with support from the World Bank and UN agencies – a global Call to Action on remittances, which calls on policymakers, regulators and remittance service providers round the world to take action to ensure that diaspora communities can continue to transfer money to their relatives during the crisis.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 04/06/2020 15:30:50 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198299

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Bank Services: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's press release, UK calls for global action to protect vital money transfers, published on 22 May 2020, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that remittance service providers reduce fees for people making payments during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52331
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK has launched, along with Switzerland and with support from the World Bank and UN agencies, a global Call to Action on remittances, which calls on policymakers, regulators and remittance service providers round the world to take action to ensure that diaspora communities can continue to transfer money to their relatives during the crisis.</p><p>This Call to Action specifically calls on remittance service providers to explore measures such as reducing remittance transaction costs. We are committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals target of reducing the global average costs of remittances to 3% by 2030, from the current level of around 6.8%.</p><p>The World Bank is conducting regular surveys of remittance costs in a number of corridors during the crisis. These surveys show that for most of the corridors surveyed that start in the UK, remittance costs are lower now than before the crisis.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 08/06/2020 15:49:55 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198603

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Developing Countries: Climate Change
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that the funding her Department commits to tackling the covid-19 pandemic in developing countries does not negatively affect programmes to tackle climate change.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52333
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>Tackling climate change and building resilience remain priorities for the Government. Our international response to COVID-19 is focused on securing a strong global health response, accelerating the search for a vaccine and new treatments, and supporting the global economy. We believe that there is a connection between healthy lives, healthy societies and a healthy environment.</p><p>The steps taken to support and rebuild economies will have an impact on future sustainability, resilience and well-being. At the invitation of the United Nations Secretary General, the Prime Minister recently addressed other world leaders on ‘recovering better for sustainability,’ and as we prepare for COP26, the Government is urging the world to take the opportunity to make the recovery clean, inclusive and resilient.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 04/06/2020 15:32:08 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1197513

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Education: Females
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on the Government’s commitment to ensure that every girl in the world receives 12 years of quality education.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	49804
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>Ensuring 12 years of quality education for all children, especially girls, remains a UK priority. As the effects of the COVID-19 crisis play out, the socio-economic impact on girls has become increasingly clear, with the education of poor girls in particular being disproportionately affected.</p><p>The UK’s response to the pandemic entails mitigating short term risks by focussing on safety, nutrition, wellbeing and learning whilst schools are closed; and supporting countries to protect and maintain education budgets and work towards reopen schools safely in the longer term.</p><p>DFID is adapting its bilateral education programmes in 18 countries. The Global Partnership for Education, to which the UK is the largest donor, is flexing over £200 million to support education sector stability in response to the pandemic. We have also announced further funding to support emergency education in fragile contexts.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 02/06/2020 08:08:42 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1197515

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Commonwealth Veterans' Programme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) veterans, (b) widows of veterans and (c) households have been supported through the Commonwealth Veterans Programme in each of the last two financial years.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	49805
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>The first disbursements to recipients of this programme began in April 2019. In the financial year 2019/2020, 2,490 veterans and 3,229 widows of veterans were supported through the Commonwealth Veterans Programme. Disbursements are currently underway for this financial year (April 2020 to March 2021). To date, 1,815 veterans and 1,960 widows of veterans have received support. We do not track the number of households benefitting from this programme, because support is made on an individual basis.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 02/06/2020 08:09:42 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1197519

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Veterans: Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the number of commonwealth veterans and their families who worked for UK armed forces before their countries gained independence who are now living in poverty.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	49806
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>It is estimated that there are just over 11,600 older people from Commonwealth or former Commonwealth countries who served in the British Armed Forces prior to their countries gaining independence. Of this number, it is known that around 6,200 are living in absolute poverty.</p><p>Through the Commonwealth Veteran’s Programme, DFID provides regular cash transfers to Commonwealth veterans and their widows and widowers in 29 countries to ensure they receive the equivalent of two healthy meals a day to prevent them from going hungry.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 02/06/2020 16:24:20 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1197030

registered interest
date	19/05/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Nutrition: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to help ensure that there is no cliff edge in nutrition financing.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	49095
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK remains committed to preventing and treating malnutrition as part of our commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children. Addressing poor nutrition is also important in the face of COVID-19. We will continue to invest beyond 2020 in programmes to address malnutrition and to work closely with the Government of Japan to ensure the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit is a success.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 02/06/2020 08:04:39 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1197031

registered interest
date	19/05/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Development Aid: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will publish her Department's guidance to country offices on re-prioritising projects and programmes as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	49096
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>Across the DFID country office network, we are adapting over one hundred existing health and humanitarian programmes, and close to two hundred existing social protection, economic, governance, conflict and other programmes, across 35 countries and regions relevant to the COVID-19 response. The flexing and adaptation of DFID programmes must consider numerous factors, ensuring that our strategy is tailored to the local context. There are no plans to publish internal guidance to country offices.</p><p>In addition, the UK has pledged £764 million to support efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic as quickly as possible. We are taking decisive and co-ordinated action, guided by the WHO and based on science and evidence.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 02/06/2020 08:03:52 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill