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1225952

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	CDC: Private Equity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the CDC Group has invested via private equity funds in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
	tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
	uin	76091
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>CDCs invests through Private Equity Funds to provide growth capital to companies in Africa and South Asia to create jobs and transform economies, focussing on the small and mid-size companies that face the biggest financing gap.</p><p>CDC's backing for Fund managers helps promote the adoption of higher Environmental, Social and Governance standards and support the development of self-sustaining local finance markets.</p><p>In the last five years CDC made new investment commitments to private equity funds of:</p><ul><li>2015 - £238m</li><li>2016 - £289m</li><li>2017 - £273m</li><li>2018 - £311m</li><li>2019 - £284m.</li></ul> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 08:07:58 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1226271

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2020
	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, how much her Department has disbursed to multilateral institutions in response to the covid-19 pandemic; and how much of that aid has reached the Global South to date.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
	tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
	uin	76829
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The UK is playing a leading role in the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic, pledging up to £774 million of UK aid to help developing countries (the 'global south') address the immediate and longer-term impacts of the crisis. Of the £774 million, £220 million has gone to UN agencies in the UN's Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP), such as the World Food Programme and UN Refugee Agency, as well as humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross and international NGOs. DFID is also adapting its programmes across its country network to respond to COVID-19 and address the needs of the most vulnerable, as outlined in the GHRP. This funding will help address urgent needs in vulnerable countries, accelerate progress towards a vaccine, reinforce infection control and help the poorest countries address the economic impact of the crisis.</p><p>On 4 June, the UK hosted the Global Vaccine Summit, where world leaders, foundations, corporations and organisations pledged $8.8 billion for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The UK remains Gavi's largest donor, having pledged £1.65bn for 2021-25 to help strengthen health systems in the global fight against COVID-19 and immunise a further 300 million children in the world's poorest countries against other deadly diseases. We are a leading donor and shareholder to the multilateral development banks, which have announced financial packages totalling more than £200bn. Given the unprecedented high demand for rapid finance, the UK has doubled its pledge from £2.2bn to £4.4 billion to IMF loan resources for concessional lending to low-income and vulnerable developing countries, and pledged up to £150m to the IMF Catastrophe Containment Relief Trust for the poorest countries to receive debt relief on IMF repayments.</p><p>We will continue to work closely with our multilateral partners and fora such as the G7 and G20 to galvanise the global fight against Covid-19 and shape the multilateral response to ensure it addresses the needs of the world's poorest and most vulnerable.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 01/09/2020 13:17:11 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1227047

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Israel: Palestinians
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2020 to Question 73751 on Israel: Palestinians, for what reason the UK’s People-to-People programme ended without alternative provision being established to help ensure continued UK support for co-existence projects in Israel-Palestine.
	tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
	tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
	uin	77538
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>As the Chancellor has set out, like many other nations across the world the UK is experiencing a severe economic downturn as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Given the likely decrease in the size of the economy this year, the First Secretary chaired a review process across government looking at all strands of the ODA budget, evaluating the impacts of spend and making sure the UK can maintain operational capacity. This process also has made sure there is continued support for five ODA priorities; bottom billion poverty reduction, climate change, girls' education, Covid-19 and Britain as a force for good.</p><p>All ODA spending Departments will now work with respective partners to make these savings in a responsible and efficient way.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 01/09/2020 09:35:19 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
	tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1226853

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Migrant Camps: Humanitarian Aid
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps the Government has taken to help ensure the effective delivery of aid to refugee camps in (a) Yemen, (b) Syria and (c) South Sudan.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	77623
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>In Yemen through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), DFID has supported 224 teachers' salaries for refugee and IDP affected areas from July 2020 to February 2021. This funding covers gaps where existing teachers' salaries have stopped or are under threat. UK aid has provided £10.8 million to UNHCR to assist refugees and IDPs in Yemen since 2017. This includes over 5,000 refugee children supported with child protection activities, and counselling to over 3,000 survivors of gender-based violence.</p><p>In South Sudan the UK funds several programmes that help support refugees. The UK-Unilever water and sanitation partnership, UNHCR and Save the Children help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in refugee populations and host communities across the country. DFID-funded education programmes in South Sudan ensure IDP and refugee children have access to quality education despite the multiple barriers they face. The UK works with the UN, NGOs and the Red Cross to ensure that life-saving supplies get to the most vulnerable communities. COVID-19 containment measures have made this more difficult, so DFID works closely with the Government and others to ensure that the movement of humanitarian supplies and personnel are impacted as little as possible.</p><p>In Syria. Most of the humanitarian need is among internally displaced persons, now totalling 6.1million. DFID continues to support Palestinian refugees in Syria through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Syria programme, to which the UK has contributed £36m since 2017. UNRWA is the only agency mandated to provide services to this population and often the only organisation with the access, permission, and mandate required to assist Palestinian refugees.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 01/09/2020 17:01:30 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1226727

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	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
	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 been made of the potential level of reductions in non-urgent funding to the UN and other multilateral or regional institutions; and whether those reductions will be fully implemented before reductions in funding for bilateral and existing programming are made.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	77632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>As the Chancellor has set out, like many other nations across the world the UK is experiencing a severe economic downturn as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Given the likely decrease in the size of the economy this year, the First Secretary chaired a review process across government looking at all strands of the ODA budget, evaluating the impacts of spend and making sure the UK can maintain operational capacity. This process also has made sure there is continued support for five ODA priorities; bottom billion poverty reduction, climate change, girls' education, Covid-19 and Britain as a force for good.</p><p>All ODA spending Departments will now work with respective partners to make these savings in a responsible and efficient way.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 01/09/2020 09:30:40 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1226862

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Conditions of Employment
	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 creation of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on the job security of staff in her Department at grade A2/G7 and above who were appointed in country (SAIC); whether the additional Foreign and Commonwealth Office vetting procedures will affect that job security; and whether the employment protections afforded to those staff will be extended to EU citizens working in her Department.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	77634
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>There will be no compulsory redundancies for DFID employees as a result of the decision to create a new Department. Some roles may change due to business needs and any changes will be handled in compliance with relevant civil service policy and guidance or local labour law for staff appointed in country overseas.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 01/09/2020 09:11:59 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1226863

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Department for International Development: Procurement
	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 been made of the financial sustainability of her Department's (a) major and (b) SME suppliers; how many of those suppliers have been classified as at financial risk; and whether her Department has taken steps to support individual suppliers that are at risk.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	77635
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is actively monitoring and assessing the overall financial health of our supply partners to understand the impact of the global economic downturn and Covid-19 on our supplier base and identify supply partners who are at higher financial risk.</p><p>The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office relies heavily on the capacity, expertise, resilience and flexibility of our supply partners large and small, without them we cannot deliver UK aid. A generous package of support has been made available by the Chancellor for UK businesses, including supplier relief for those in the aid sector. DFID has worked with SMEs and major supply partners to find pragmatic and flexible ways to maintain delivery of essential programmes, including amendments to payment schedules, delivery milestones and alternative working arrangements where appropriate.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 12:46:56 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1226864

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	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: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether it is the Government's policy to maintain the Programme Quality Index after the creation of the Foreign, Commonwealth Office in September 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	77636
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The Portfolio Quality Index will continue to be calculated, however, is just one of the tools DFID used to assess the performance of programmes.</p><p>Achieving value for money has always been a core objective of all spend on Official Development Assistance. The Prime Minister was clear in his statement to the house on 16th June that delivering maximum value for the British taxpayer will continue to be a key objective of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 01/09/2020 09:09:50 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1227086

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	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: Money Laundering
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to take steps to help strengthen rules to prevent the movement of money from corruption (a) leaving and (b) entering developing countries.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	77639
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The UK is at the forefront of efforts to prevent the proceeds of corruption from developing countries being laundered or transferred overseas. The Government supports developing countries to improve rules and capabilities directly through a range of regional and in-country programming, such as the Countering Illicit Financial Flows Programme in Southern Africa. The UK also supports highly respected global programmes that seek to help developing countries implement international standards, such as the International Centre for Asset Recovery based in Basel and the World Bank-UNODC Stolen Asset Recovery (STAR) Fund. And, through its wider international engagement, the UK influences the evolution of global rules and norms, for example championing the adoption of beneficial ownership transparency standards.</p><p>The Government's future plans for tackling the proceeds of corruption from developing countries will be based on existing strategies such as the UK Anti-Corruption Strategy 2017-2022 and the National Economic Crime Plan 2019-2022, as well as the priorities set in the ongoing Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy and subsequent Spending Review.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 01/09/2020 15:56:31 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1227087

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Ghana: Corruption
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to support (a) Ghana in-country programmes to prevent (i) corruption and (ii) laundering of proceeds from corruption and (b) other country-specific corruption strategies.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	77640
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>DFID Ghana is currently implementing an anti-corruption programme - Strengthening Action Against Corruption (STAAC). The programme engages with law enforcement agencies and policy makers to strengthen the Government of Ghana's capacity to detect, investigate and prosecute corruption, as well as supporting civil society to hold government to account. This programme supported a Parliamentary Act in Ghana that established the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which has independent powers to make inquiries into corruption and bribery, and has helped strengthen investigative systems in the Financial Intelligence Centre. It is also supporting Ghana to implement an effective action plan, after it was grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force in October 2018, including drafting of a new Anti-Money Laundering Bill and development of a beneficial ownership register.</p><p>There is strong coordination among HMG departments on tackling corruption and Serious Organised Crime (SOC) in Ghana. Under the FCDO, a new successor programme will be designed to tackle corruption and organised crime, both of which remain top UK Government priorities. In particular, it will seek to establish UK-Ghana partnerships to tackle illicit financial flows and provide asset-tracing and recovery of the proceeds of crime. Under the FCDO, a refreshed anti-corruption strategy will also be developed.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 09:07:45 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion