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752410

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government (1) what contact they have had with, and (2) what support they intend to provide to, the Nineveh Reconstruction Committee, regarding (a) the rebuilding of 13,000 homes on the Nineveh Plains, and (b) the need to ensure that those Christians internally displaced from the Plains are provided with adequate food supplies.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL856
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK Government recognises the specific risks such as abduction and murder faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh, and is deeply concerned by reports of human rights abuses motivated by religious or ethnic identity.</p><p>All people in need, from any community, irrespective of religious affiliation, are eligible for humanitarian assistance. DFID’s humanitarian implementing partners, including the UN, consider a wide range of issues when assessing an individual’s vulnerability such as the impact of physical or mental disabilities, income, age, missing family members, and whether individuals are already receiving assistance from other sources.</p><p>The organisations through which we channel our support do not identify or record beneficiaries by their religion. The reason for this is because there is a risk that collecting information about the ethnicity or religion of people receiving aid could be obtained by others, including extremist groups, and used to persecute them.</p><p>We do not therefore hold information on how much UK-funded support is channelled to Yezidis and Christians either inside or outside camps. This year the UK will provide £40 million for urgent humanitarian assistance in Iraq and £4 million for the UN’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilisation (FFIS) to help rebuild communities affected by Daesh, including for minority communities in newly liberated areas in Iraq. The UK is also providing £500 million to support people, including refugees and internally displaced Syrians, affected by the Syria crisis in 2017. DFID does not fund the Bishops Emergency Committee.</p><p>The Nineveh Reconstruction Committee comprised of Church representatives has not contacted the UK Government or submitted a proposal for UK support for the construction of homes on the Nineveh Plains.</p><p>The UK is funding the UN’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilisation (FFIS), which is supporting 152 projects in mainly Christian communities in the Ninewa Plains and 70 projects in Yezidi communities in Sinjar, Rabia and Sinuni.</p><p>UN agencies are obliged to operate by the humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality which aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion; and to also ensure that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. DFID considers reports from a wide range of sources, including field visits by UK officials where these are possible, to assess the effectiveness of UN operations and their compliance with humanitarian principles. The UN carries out vital work in both Syria and Iraq, and UN staff frequently risk their lives to deliver assistance to people in need, including to areas where Daesh or the Assad regime seek to prevent aid being delivered.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL852 HL854 HL855 question first answered 25/07/2017 15:00:41 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1201009

	registered interest
	date	08/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	World Health Organization: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how much they have contributed to the World Health Organisation's COVID-19 Response Fund.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
	uin	HL5355
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK has contributed £75 million to help the WHO lead international efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and end the pandemic.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 16/06/2020 11:10:11 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox

1200281

	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	Myanmar: Humanitarian Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how much, in total, the UK has provided in aid funding for humanitarian assistance to Burmese Chin refugees in Malaysia and Delhi.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
	uin	HL5178
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK provides humanitarian assistance to Chin refugees in Malaysia and India via the UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency. The UK has provided UNHCR with predictable, core, unearmarked funding of £35 million per year since 2012, currently as part of a four-year (2017-2020) programme of support alongside other UN humanitarian agencies. In India and Malaysia UNHCR provides support to refugees, including ethnic Chins, comprising advocacy, legal representation, community outreach and assistance programmes.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/06/2020 16:34:53 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox

1200362

	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	Development Aid: Family Planning
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how they ensure (1) the availability of, and (2) equitable access to, sexual and reproductive health and rights services is included as part of the essential package of health services for their COVID-19 response overseas.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5257
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK proudly continues to work with our key partners, including UN agencies, national governments and civil society, to protect and advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), to ensure that decades of progress toward securing universal access are not reversed by the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>We remain committed to supporting the Minimum Initial Service Package for Reproductive Health in Crises and have provided UNFPA with an additional £10 million for life-saving SRH services as part of the global humanitarian response plan to COVID-19.</p><p>The UK-aid funded Global Financing Facility is continuing to support governments to maintain health systems in 36 affected countries, with a focus on protecting reproductive, maternal and newborn health services. Our flagship SRHR programme ‘WISH’ is delivering desperately-needed services and supplies during the pandemic across 27 countries, including increasing use of technologies, more self-care delivery and working to ensure SRHR is part of national COVID-19 essential service delivery. Ensuring that no-one is left behind is key to this effort. Local radio and SMS are providing critical messages on SRHR and COVID-19 to those living in remote areas. Where possible, fee waiver schemes are removing cost-barriers for the poorest and community outreach services continue in rural areas where it remains safe to do so.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 11/06/2020 10:54:56 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

1200363

	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: Health Services and Social Services
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how they ensure that their overseas programmes support front-line health and social workers and caregivers with equitable access to training, personal protective equipment and other essential products, taking into the account the specific needs of women.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5258
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK recognises the critical role of front-line health, social and care workers, particularly now. We know that women make up 70% of global frontline health workers and are often the first responders in a crisis. UK aid helps provide these workers with the resources they need.</p><p>For the global COVID-19 response, we have pledged £75 million to WHO, to help the organisation lead international efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and end the pandemic. This includes support to front-line health workers with equitable access to training and essential medical supplies, including Personal Protective Equipment. We are also investing £20 million in the African Union’s and Africa Centres for Disease Control COVID-19 response, to fund the deployment of African health experts and provide specialist training for clinicians.</p><p>DFID programmes also support capacity building for health professionals. The new five-year, £30 million UK Partnerships for Health Systems programme will build a better-skilled health workforce in countries across Africa and South Asia, training health workers including nurses and midwives.</p><p>We are already a leading global health donor, and an advocate for public health investment to achieve universal health coverage and Sustainable Development Goal 3. Investment in, recruiting and retaining skilled healthcare professionals is critical to achieve the Global Goals and meet our manifesto commitment to end preventable deaths of women, children and new-borns.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 16/06/2020 11:08:30 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

751993

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Nuclear Power
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure their emergency funding for displaced people from Mosul and the Nineveh Plains reaches displaced minorities such as the Yazidis and Christians; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which their policy of neutrality and impartiality will lead to the inclusion or exclusion of those who have been subject to genocide.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL828
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL829 HL830 HL831 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1200287

	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	Development Aid: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how they are supporting responses to the COVID-19 pandemic which seek to address (1) the immediate, and (2) the underlying, causes of conflict and violence; and what steps they are taking to make sure Official Development Assistance supports communities to manage any increase in social tensions as a result of the pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Goudie
	uin	HL5185
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is pursuing a strong and co-ordinated global response to COVID-19, particularly for the most vulnerable countries. We recognise the risk that responses to the pandemic in some contexts may include politicisation, exploitation and securitisation, which may risk fuelling grievances, triggering violent instability, dividing societies and emboldening conflict actors.</p><p>The UK is taking steps to ensure that both our immediate responses to COVID-19 and long-term recovery efforts do not exacerbate conflict and instead help to build peace, improve governance and strengthen social cohesion. We are encouraging our implementing partners to demonstrate accountability, strengthen local owner- and leadership and adopt inclusive, conflict sensitive approaches. We are also working with partners, governments, media providers, civil society and local leaders to counter misinformation. DFID and the FCO are working together to encourage state and security responses that are transparent, proportionate, fair and promote human rights as a core part of the UK response.</p><p>We particularly recognise the importance of working with local women’s rights and women-led organisations to deliver more effective and safer responses. We also believe that greater engagement of local partners ensures continuity and builds resilience and social cohesion as efforts shift to the medium and longer term recovery.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 19/06/2020 11:39:54 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3575 label Biography information for Baroness Goudie

752498

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking concerning the reported confiscation and destruction of EU-funded humanitarian aid projects in the West Bank.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL944
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2017 answer text <p>We have repeatedly made clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concern at the increase in demolitions and confiscations in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The European Union (EU) has not to date asked for compensation for EU-funded infrastructure. No decision has been made yet as to whether to claim compensation in the future.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/07/2017 13:48:35 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

752497

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking concerning the reported delays in ambulance response times to treat injured and sick Palestinians.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2017 answer text <p>Ambulance and permit delays can lead to missed appointments and interrupted treatments, endangering the health and lives of patients. The UK has consistently called on the Israeli Government to ease movement and access restrictions that reduce access to medical care for Palestinians. The UK supports essential health services in the Occupied Palestinian Territories through funding to the Palestinian Authority and UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/07/2017 13:51:16 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

1203575

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Gaza: New Businesses
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to encourage new technological enterprises in Gaza.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5729
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is more than tripling spend on Economic Development programming in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and we will provide £58 million between 2018 – 2023. This includes helping improve water and energy supply, particularly in Gaza, and addressing movement and access restrictions that currently inhibit trade. By focussing on these issues, we aim to improve daily life and opportunities for thousands of Palestinians.</p><p>The FCO and British Council also provide funding to the OPT’s to support our commitment to educating tomorrow’s academics, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs, including in digital skills. The Chevening scholarship programme and Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians (HESPAL) provide support to Palestinians to access the best of UK university education and expertise. The @Palestine project is working to develop the English skills of Palestinian youth to enable them to engage in the global digital economy.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 25/06/2020 16:50:46 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

752493

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support those living in Gaza who have been deprived of electricity and of phone and internet access.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL939
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK is working closely with the United Nations (UN) to monitor the situation in Gaza. We urge all the parties to find a sustainable solution to the current energy situation that is affecting services such as electricity and phone and internet access. In Gaza, the UK is funding basic service delivery through the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, enabling reconstruction work, and investing in job creation.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/07/2017 13:48:11 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

1203576

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Palestinians: Health Services
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking, if any, to ensure that health services in Palestine have sufficient medical facilities and expertise in (1) the West Bank, and (2) Gaza, to enable those services to care for those with serious medical problems without the need to enter Israeli territory for treatment.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5730
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK has pledged £764 million to support the global humanitarian response to COVID-19. We have delivered additional vital support in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by providing funding to the World Health Organization and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity. Minister Cleverly also recently announced £20 million in new funding, which will help the Palestinian Authority support its health workers who have been on the frontline battling coronavirus and who help deliver life-saving medical services.</p><p>We also provided around £16 million in humanitarian assistance in 2019/20 to alleviate humanitarian and health needs in the OPTs. This included establishing a centralised surgical multi-disciplinary limb reconstruction unit, strengthening trauma care, enhancing the ambulance system, and training paramedics and frontline providers in Gaza. Our funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) also helps provide health services for around 3.5 million people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 29/06/2020 16:22:42 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

752014

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to ensure that UK funding which is intended to mitigate the migration crisis in the central Mediterranean is not used to finance the indefinite detention of migrant and refugee children.
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL849
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK contribution to the Mediterranean migration crisis is delivered through trusted humanitarian agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Through these agencies, UK aid in detention centres is specifically designed to protect migrants’ and refugees’ human rights and meet basic needs, including by advocating for alternatives to detention for vulnerable groups like children. We also assist migrants to return home, if they wish to do so.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 20/07/2017 16:25:24 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

751995

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) that Christians and Yazidis who have been victims of genocide in Syria and Iraq do not use UN camps because of oppression and persecution that they have experienced within them, and (2) from Jordanian military officials that ISIS jihadis have infiltrated many such camps.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL830
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL828 HL829 HL831 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

752408

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which UN agencies have operated impartially and neutrally in responding to the needs of religious minorities facing persecution and genocide in Northern Iraq and Syria; and on what evidence they base that assessment.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL854
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK Government recognises the specific risks such as abduction and murder faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh, and is deeply concerned by reports of human rights abuses motivated by religious or ethnic identity.</p><p>All people in need, from any community, irrespective of religious affiliation, are eligible for humanitarian assistance. DFID’s humanitarian implementing partners, including the UN, consider a wide range of issues when assessing an individual’s vulnerability such as the impact of physical or mental disabilities, income, age, missing family members, and whether individuals are already receiving assistance from other sources.</p><p>The organisations through which we channel our support do not identify or record beneficiaries by their religion. The reason for this is because there is a risk that collecting information about the ethnicity or religion of people receiving aid could be obtained by others, including extremist groups, and used to persecute them.</p><p>We do not therefore hold information on how much UK-funded support is channelled to Yezidis and Christians either inside or outside camps. This year the UK will provide £40 million for urgent humanitarian assistance in Iraq and £4 million for the UN’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilisation (FFIS) to help rebuild communities affected by Daesh, including for minority communities in newly liberated areas in Iraq. The UK is also providing £500 million to support people, including refugees and internally displaced Syrians, affected by the Syria crisis in 2017. DFID does not fund the Bishops Emergency Committee.</p><p>The Nineveh Reconstruction Committee comprised of Church representatives has not contacted the UK Government or submitted a proposal for UK support for the construction of homes on the Nineveh Plains.</p><p>The UK is funding the UN’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilisation (FFIS), which is supporting 152 projects in mainly Christian communities in the Ninewa Plains and 70 projects in Yezidi communities in Sinjar, Rabia and Sinuni.</p><p>UN agencies are obliged to operate by the humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality which aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion; and to also ensure that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. DFID considers reports from a wide range of sources, including field visits by UK officials where these are possible, to assess the effectiveness of UN operations and their compliance with humanitarian principles. The UN carries out vital work in both Syria and Iraq, and UN staff frequently risk their lives to deliver assistance to people in need, including to areas where Daesh or the Assad regime seek to prevent aid being delivered.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL852 HL855 HL856 question first answered 25/07/2017 15:00:41 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1199208

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
	tabling member printed	Lord Collins of Highbury
	uin	HL4934
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>According to the UN, Yemen remains the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 80% of the entire population, over 24 million people, requiring some form of humanitarian assistance. More than 20 million people in Yemen do not have reliable access to food and almost 10 million people face extreme food shortages.</p><p>We are concerned that the outbreak of COVID-19 in Yemen is already exacerbating this devastating humanitarian situation.</p><p>DFID modelling estimates that over 100,000 Yemenis are now likely to have been infected by COVID-19. With only half of Yemen’s health facilities currently functional, we are extremely concerned by the capacity of the Yemen’s healthcare system to respond.</p><p>Ultimately, a political settlement is the only way to properly address the worsening humanitarian crisis. We therefore strongly encourage all parties to engage with Special Envoy Martin Griffiths to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/06/2020 16:30:42 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4222 label Biography information for Lord Collins of Highbury

1202061

	registered interest
	date	09/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	North Korea: Humanitarian Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea following reports by the United Nations of food shortages and malnutrition; what steps they are taking to provide humanitarian assistance which reaches those in urgent need; and what discussions they have had with the government of that country to urge it to use its resources to prioritise the feeding of its people.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL5450
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>We assess that North Korea’s humanitarian need is likely increasing as a result of the country’s border lockdown in response to COVID-19. The lockdown has prevented most aid shipments from entering the country since January and restrictions on internal movement, including for UN agencies and NGOs, has severely impacted the distribution of aid and support. The UN estimates that 10.1 million people suffer from food insecurity and are in urgent need of food assistance.</p><p>DFID is providing multilateral funds to the UN and other international organisations providing humanitarian assistance in North Korea, including the Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) in response to COVID-19. As a country of concern in the GHRP, North Korea is receiving funds from this global appeal. We continue to make clear to the North Korean government that international support is available, and urge them to restore international access and monitoring for humanitarian assistance. The UK has also repeatedly called on North Korea to prioritise the well-being of its people over the development of illegal weapons programmes, through our bilateral relationship and in multilateral fora.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/06/2020 15:03:16 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1199362

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Nigeria: Development Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the killing of Uwavera Omozuwa, in a church in Benin City, Nigeria; and how UK Aid to Nigeria is used to combat gender-based violence in that country.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL4899
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>The High Commission in Abuja is tracking closely developments around the deplorable killing of Uwavera Omozuwa last month in a church in Benin City. The High Commissioner has spoken out against her killing and all gender-based violence (GBV), calling for those responsible to face justice.</p><p>GBV is an endemic issue in Nigeria and poses ongoing challenges to changing behaviour and ensuring equality and equity for women, girls, men, and boys. DFID Nigeria is committed to empowering women and protecting the most vulnerable. We directly support systems and interventions to mitigate and respond to GBV in the conflict-affected North East through provision of emergency medical care and in the case-management, legal counselling and psycho-social support for survivors of GBV through our humanitarian programme.</p><p>Across DFID Nigeria, we pursue DFID’s Strategic Vision for Women and Girls. We promote women’s rights and gender equality through multiple sectors: increasing women’s economic empowerment through dedicated livelihoods programmes; ensuring gender sensitivity of government social protection programmes; supporting women’s participation and representation in politics and civil society through governance programmes; and keeping girls safe in schools through our education programmes.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 15/06/2020 12:51:26 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1199266

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Nigeria: Development Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Amnesty International ‘We dried our tears’: Addressing the toll on children of Northeast Nigeria’s conflict, published on 27 May; and what plans they have to ensure that any UK aid programmes in Nigeria encompass (1) psychosocial support for children, and (2) gender equality initiatives.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
	uin	HL4946
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>The High Commission has advocated for and supported the handing over of all children in any form of detention to UNICEF or appropriate agencies and this has led to the release of many hundreds in recent months. We will continue to urge all parties to prioritise mitigating the effect of conflict on civilians, particularly the most vulnerable including women and children. In respect to criticisms of the rehabilitation and reintegration components of Operation Safe Corridor, including evidence of boys accessing the programme, the High Commission in Abuja is currently reassessing its support to Operation Safe Corridor in light of this report. We will need to be fully satisfied with our partners’ plans for addressing these issues in order to continue our support.</p><p>UKAid already provides a range of humanitarian and development assistance in Nigeria that supports children affected by the conflict in the northeast, including those previously detained by the Nigerian authorities, and advocacy to the Nigerian authorities to manage these facilities in accordance with domestic and international law. This includes funding partners to provide dedicated case management support to particularly vulnerable children, including unaccompanied and separated minors, where physical and psychosocial health services plus essential material needs, are supported by UKAid.</p><p>DFID is actively delivering it Strategic Vision for Women and Girls in Nigeria to promote women’s rights and gender equality. This includes increasing women’s economic empowerment, supporting women’s participation and representation in politics and civil society through governance programmes, and keeping girls in school.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 15/06/2020 12:53:10 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox

1200998

	registered interest
	date	08/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Palestinians: Development Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the value for money of aid sent to the Palestinian Authority, following reports that it spends seven per cent of its budget, and up to 40 per cent of its foreign aid receipts, on payments to terrorists and their families.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL5340
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2020 answer text <p>No UK aid is used for payments to prisoners or their families or the so called Martyrs Fund. Our financial support to the Palestinian Authority health and education sectors goes into a dedicated bank account and is only paid to individual workers carefully vetted through the PEGASE mechanism (Palestinian-European Socio-Economic Management Assistance Mechanism). Each payment is independently audited to ensure it has been received by the intended recipient.</p><p>As is standard practice for all DFID programmes, we assess value for money for the UK taxpayer annually through our review process. Last year UK aid enabled 26,000 young Palestinians in the West Bank to get an education, delivered 3,300 MMR vaccinations for children and enabled 111,000 medical consultations. This is an important contribution towards supporting a stable Palestinian Authority (PA) that can deliver essential services to Palestinians and act as an effective partner for peace with Israel.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/06/2020 15:38:22 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

753908

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Syria: Refugees
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of (1) the written evidence submitted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief to the International Development Committee on 20 October 2015 that local workers employed by UNHCR were giving preferential access to aid and food resources to Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey who shared the religious beliefs of those workers, and (2) the extent to which such practices are continuing.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL1054
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2017 answer text <p>The Government takes extremely seriously any allegations that UN staff are giving preferential access to aid on the basis of the religious affiliation of beneficiaries. This would contravene international humanitarian principles and the UN’s own guidelines. Lord Bates and Minister Burt have arranged a joint meeting with Lord Alton and interested parties to discuss this important issue.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 27/07/2017 15:44:18 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1203574

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	UNRWA: Expenditure
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what contribution they have made to the budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in (1) 2017, (2) 2018, (3) 2019, and (4) 2020.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5728
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is a long-term supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).Last year UK funding to UNRWA, helped UNRWA provide education to around half a million children (half of whom are girls), health services for around 3.5 million Palestinian refugees, and social safety net assistance for around 255,000 of the most vulnerable.</p><p>DFID’s funding contribution to UNRWA 2017-2019 is as follows: £51.1m in 2017, £65.5m in 2018, £65.5m in 2019. We will announce our plans for 2020 in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 25/06/2020 16:50:17 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

1199218

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Humanitarian Aid: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what engagement they have had with the UN and other international actors to ensure that tackling gender-based violence is recognised as a specific objective in the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Goudie
	uin	HL4970
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is deeply concerned about the surge in gender-based violence (GBV) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have consistently encouraged the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to prioritise GBV within the Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) through bilateral channels and joint advocacy with other donors. We believe revising the GHRP to explicitly include a specific objective on GBV will prove lifesaving for women and girls.</p><p>Whilst we are pleased to see improvements in how GBV is being addressed overall in the GHRP, the UK is still championing a specific objective on GBV in future versions. All UN agencies and international actors must demonstrate that the shadow pandemic of GBV is taken seriously in the global response to COVID-19 and be held accountable for addressing GBV.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 11/06/2020 10:58:25 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	3575 label Biography information for Baroness Goudie

755179

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	South Sudan: Education
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what financial support they have provided, if any, to the Girls' Education South Sudan programme, including for that organisation's cash transfer system that ensures that girls who are displaced due to violence can continue to receive an education.
	tabling member printed	The Earl of Sandwich
	uin	HL1187
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK is the sole donor to the Girls’ Education South Sudan programme and will contribute £60 million over 5 years. In 2016, we provided £14.1 million for grants to girls and payments to schools.</p><p>In 2016 the programme provided cash transfers equivalent to approximately £15 each to 135,000 girls, to help them to remain in school. By the end of the programme we will have supported over 200,000 girls.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 27/07/2017 15:52:52 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	2109 label Biography information for The Earl of Sandwich

753924

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	South Sudan: Children
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of (1) children in South Sudan who are malnourished, and (2) South Sudanese children who are crossing into Uganda; and what steps have been taken to address the plight of children in South Sudan affected by the ongoing armed conflict.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
	uin	HL1070
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2017 answer text <p>The latest estimate from the UN is that there are 1.1 million acutely malnourished children in South Sudan. There are 586,600 children under 18 who have fled to Uganda and many of these will have been malnourished when they arrived. The UK is leading the international response to the crisis in South Sudan, and this year will feed 500,000 people and, with other donors, provide lifesaving nutritional support for 100,000 children and mothers, and over 1.8 million health consultations to children under five.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 25/07/2017 15:01:12 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	3895 label Biography information for Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead

752016

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what measures they have put in place to ensure that UK funding provided in response to the central Mediterranean migration crisis is utilised in a way that protects vulnerable migrants and refugees.
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL851
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK contribution to the Mediterranean migration crisis is delivered through trusted humanitarian agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Our programmes take account of context and risks, as well as humanitarian principles, and are designed to provide life-saving assistance and protection for the most vulnerable migrants and refugees.</p><p>The Department for International Development holds partners to account for ensuring the protection of vulnerable migrants and refugees by using robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks which enable tracking of project performance. Visits to project sites, including by staff located in the region, enable us to cross-check partner reports and ensure that funding is being used as agreed, and monitor risk and human rights compliance.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 20/07/2017 16:26:30 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

752015

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what measures they have put in place to ensure that UK funding which is intended to address the central Mediterranean migration crisis is not used to finance the increased detention of refugees and migrants in a manner which denies them their right to asylum.
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL850
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK contribution to the Mediterranean migration crisis is delivered through trusted humanitarian agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). As the UN agency mandated to protect and support refugees, UK support for UNHCR is specifically designed to help ensure that refugees are supported to access asylum procedures. UK assistance inside detention centres is not provided to increase detention capacity, but to protect migrants’ and refugees’ human rights and meet basic needs, including by advocating for alternatives to detention for vulnerable groups. We also assist migrants to return home, if they wish to do so.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 20/07/2017 16:25:57 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

1201019

	registered interest
	date	08/06/2020
	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: Conflict Resolution
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what plans are in place to ensure that at least 50 per cent of their overseas aid budget remains committed to fragile and conflict afflicted states; and what proportion of that budget is earmarked for conflict resolution and peace building.
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL5381
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2020 answer text <p>DFID’s work on addressing the underlying drivers of fragility, conflict and instability in fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS) is vital. This is why the UK is pursuing a strong and co-ordinated global response to COVID-19, particularly for the most vulnerable countries. DFID is taking steps to ensure that both our immediate responses to COVID-19 and long-term recovery efforts do not exacerbate conflict and instead help to build peace and improve governance, especially in FCAS.</p><p>DFID has consistently spent at least 50% of its Official Development Assistance in fragile and conflict affected states from 2015 to 2017. Figures for 2018 will be published in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/06/2020 15:38:58 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

1199207

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to take steps through the United Nations to support the delivery of humanitarian aid in Yemen.
	tabling member printed	Lord Collins of Highbury
	uin	HL4933
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>Minister Cleverly announced on 2 June at the UN’s Yemen Pledging Conference that the UK will be providing £160 million to the UN’s 2020 Yemen appeal this financial year (2020/21) to help respond to Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. We remain committed to supporting the UN to deliver vital humanitarian assistance across Yemen in order to alleviate suffering and meet the needs of millions of vulnerable Yemenis.</p><p>Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with other donors and the UN to ensure a coordinated international approach to the current excessive restrictions on humanitarian access, particularly in Houthi held areas. We welcome recent steps taken by the Houthis to improve humanitarian access but are clear that more progress is needed, or humanitarian organisations will be unable to continue delivering vital assistance.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/06/2020 16:29:41 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4222 label Biography information for Lord Collins of Highbury

753934

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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: Snakes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what priority the Department for International Development plans to give to the issue of snakebite envenoming, given that the WHO considers it to be a category A neglected tropical disease.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL1080
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK Government recognises the importance of snakebite envenoming (the act of being poisoned) and is carrying out research in this area. DFID and the Medical Research Council are currently funding the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to develop a new ‘universal anti-venom’ to treat victims of any of 21 of the most venomous snakes that threaten human health in sub-Saharan Africa.</p><p>In addition, DFID launched a call for expressions of interest for the development of new technologies in March this year. New anti-venoms to treat snake bites were highlighted as one of the areas where research is needed. The intent is to develop anti-venom that can be stored safely at ambient temperature, avoiding the need for refrigeration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 27/07/2017 15:49:00 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1199443

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	CDC: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with representatives of the Commonwealth Development Corporation on adapting its investments and programmes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
	uin	HL5090
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>DFID ministers and officials are in frequent discussions with CDC’s Chair and Executive Leadership Team as the institution delivers its response to the COVID-19 crisis. Most recently, both the Secretary of State and the Minister for Africa held a productive discussion on 6 May 2020 with the CEO and Chair of CDC. As a long-term investor focussed on delivering development impact, CDC is taking a targeted response that preserves, strengthens and helps rebuild economies across Africa and South Asia to mitigate the economic and health impacts of COVID-19. As well as providing additional capital to help firms weather the crisis and meet immediate liquidity needs, CDC has also launched an Emergency Technical Assistance Facility and published advice on its website (<a href="https://www.cdcgroup.com/covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.cdcgroup.com/covid-19</a>) on measures that companies should take to protect the health and safety of employees and customers and protect jobs.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 15/06/2020 12:50:44 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1199206

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to support humanitarian relief in Yemen.
	tabling member printed	Lord Collins of Highbury
	uin	HL4932
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>Last financial year (2019/20), UK aid helped feed over 650,000 Yemenis every month, treated over 70,000 children for malnutrition and provided over 1 million people with improved water supply and basic sanitation.</p><p>Minister Cleverly announced the UK’s new pledge of £160 million in humanitarian funding for Yemen in the 2020/21 financial year at the Yemen Pledging Conference on 2 June. This pledge makes us the third largest donor to Yemen in the world this year and takes our total commitment to Yemen to nearly £1 billion since the conflict began.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/06/2020 16:29:24 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4222 label Biography information for Lord Collins of Highbury

1200290

	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	Coronavirus: Females
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps the Department for International Development is taking to ensure that women and women's organisations are (1) included, and (2) supported, to participate at all levels in the (a) design, (b) implementation, and (c) evaluation, of responses to COVID-19 and its secondary impacts.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Goudie
	uin	HL5188
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>The significant gender impacts of COVID-19 are deeply concerning. DFID has been regularly consulting various women’s funds and women’s rights organisations (WROs), to understand first-hand what’s happening and to inform our response. Over the last month, DFID has hosted numerous roundtables where WROs took part.</p><p>DFID’s decision to pledge £10 million to the United Nations Population Fund and £20 million to UNICEF was informed by the conclusions of a rapid assessment of 122 WROs, which the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence undertook. DFID also launched a call for proposals under our Rapid Response Facility requiring all projects to mainstream gender, protection and safeguarding.</p><p>Through engagement with the UN, the World Bank and G7, DFID has promoted the importance of recognising women as frontline actors and leaders, and placing WROs front and centre in the international response.</p><p>DFID is being more flexible in its funding to support WROs. Amplify Change, a multi-donor fund is supporting local organisations for improved sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) adapt to address immediate and heightened SRHR risks.</p><p>This month DFID hosts its first Gender Equality Challenge Board. Experts, including women’s funds, will be invited to hold us to account on our plans for economic response and recovery.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 11/06/2020 10:56:49 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	3575 label Biography information for Baroness Goudie

1200285

	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	Development Aid: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps the Department for International Development is taking to mitigate (1) any secondary impact of COVID-19, and (2) any related restrictions put in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic, in any fragile or conflict-affected states; and what proportion of Overseas Development Assistance the Department has committed to such states.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Goudie
	uin	HL5183
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is pursuing a strong and co-ordinated global response to COVID-19, particularly for the most vulnerable countries. We recognise the risk that responses to the pandemic in some contexts may include politicisation, exploitation and securitisation, which may risk fuelling grievances, triggering violent instability, dividing societies and emboldening conflict actors.</p><p>Our approach to promoting stability in fragile and conflict-affected states is underpinned by the DFID Building Stability Framework, which recognises that conflict and fragility do not have single causes and constitute a complex system, and that helping fragile countries become more stable is a long-term endeavour.</p><p>DFID is taking steps to ensure that both our immediate responses to COVID-19 and long-term recovery efforts do not exacerbate conflict and instead help to build peace and improve governance. We monitor how the pandemic and responses to it, including any necessary restrictions, interact with conflict and governance on an ongoing basis in fragile states. We are encouraging our implementing partners to demonstrate accountability, strengthen local owner- and leadership and adopt inclusive, conflict sensitive approaches. We are also working with International Financial Institutions and the UN to ensure their humanitarian, development and peace efforts are galvanised into an effective and coordinated response.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 19/06/2020 11:39:16 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3575 label Biography information for Baroness Goudie

1200289

	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	Development Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address (1) the medium-term, and (2) the longer-term, threats to food security and hunger from (a) COVID-19, (b) locusts, and (c) climate change, in fragile and conflict affected places; and, in particular, what steps they are taking to address the locust outbreak in East Africa.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Goudie
	uin	HL5187
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is one of the biggest humanitarian donors globally and, through our programmes, are working with partners such as the World Food Programme, UNICEF and OCHA to provide food to millions of people. As well as emergency assistance, we are working to tackle longer-term food insecurity and malnutrition.</p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting food security, particularly in countries with high hunger figures, climate vulnerability and fragility or conflict. The UK is working with international partners to better track, monitor and respond to the impact of COVID-19 on food security. We have adapted our social protection, agriculture and food security programmes in highly climate-vulnerable and fragile countries to respond to COVID-19-related challenges. Responses will strengthen resilience of food and agriculture systems in the current crisis but also against longer-term climate shocks and stresses. UK support includes provision of expert advice to governments and partners.</p><p>The UK is a key contributor to the UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan, which is supporting the most vulnerable, including refugees, displaced people, and migrants during this pandemic. Through this support, UK partners, such as the World Food Programme, continue to ensure essential commodities and services, and pre-position food supplies for those most in need.</p><p>We are deeply concerned about the locust outbreak in Africa and South Asia. We are supporting the UN Food and Agriculture Office on locust control as well as providing livelihoods support to those already impacted by the outbreak.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 15/06/2020 12:53:59 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	3575 label Biography information for Baroness Goudie

1199317

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Occupied Territories: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that any financial support they provide to assist the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Gaza and the West Bank is spent as intended.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Deech
	uin	HL4953
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK has pledged £764 million to support the global humanitarian response to COVID-19. We have delivered additional vital support in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by providing £840,000 to WHO and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity.</p><p>All UK funding to the OPTs is subject to robust controls against fraud and the diversion of aid, and DFID’s funding agreements also commit partners to understand and comply with UK and international counter terrorism legislation. We maintain regular dialogue with all implementing partners to ensure UK funding is spent as intended.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/06/2020 16:31:19 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3756 label Biography information for Baroness Deech

1199440

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prioritise climate justice in the allocation of Official Development Assistance to developing countries recovering from the effects of COVID-19.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
	uin	HL5087
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>The impacts of climate change will disproportionately affect the lives of the poorest and most marginalised. The UK’s aid programme, including our international climate finance, prioritises the interests of the world’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Our international response to COVID-19 is focused on securing a strong global health response, in particular supporting countries most vulnerable to the impact of the virus, accelerating the search for a vaccine and new treatments and supporting the global economy. We recognise that there is a connection between healthy lives, healthy societies and a healthy environment.</p><p>The steps taken to rebuild economies will have a profound impact on future sustainability, resilience and wellbeing. The Prime Minister recently addressed a high-level event at the invitation of the United Nations Secretary General focussed on ‘recovering better for sustainability,’ and as we prepare for COP26, we are urging the world to take the opportunity to make the recovery clean, inclusive and resilient.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 15/06/2020 15:39:53 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1200352

	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: Foreign Trade
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support producers in the global south whose trade has been disrupted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
	uin	HL5238
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is championing a comprehensive and coordinated trade and development response to COVID-19 working. This includes advocating for developing country interests at the G20 and WTO and adapting our policy and programming portfolios to provide immediate support.</p><p>Through the Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund, Manufacturing Africa programme and our funding to the World Bank, we are supporting countries to better understand the impacts of COVID-19, design their policy response accordingly, engage in the WTO, increase their production of COVID-19 related goods such as personal protection equipment, and ease the passage of goods across borders.</p><p>The government is engaging with businesses in the UK and in developing countries to understand the challenges they are facing to protect incomes, livelihoods, and ensure that supply chains remain resilient. We are developing a programme of support in partnership with businesses, to address these issues in the most vulnerable countries and are also providing support to Business Fights Poverty to accelerate a global learning process to enable business to provide support to vulnerable workers in global supply chains. This includes the launch of the Business and COVID-19 Response Centre, an online tool that hosts a range of resources intended to empower companies to take action in support of their most vulnerable employees, suppliers, customers and communities. They have had over 9,000 visits to their COVID-19 Response Centre and other resources and over 1,700 people have registered to engage in the process.</p><p>We are continuing to finalise further trade agreements, building on those already signed. Together these will grant preferential market access to around 100 developing countries, helping to support their economic recovery.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/06/2020 16:14:56 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1200353

	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	Development Aid: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking with multilateral organisations to ensure that official development assistance, allocated to tackling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, is reaching people living in the global south that need it.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
	uin	HL5239
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is working together with international partners including the G7, G20, the UN, the World Bank and other multilateral institutions, to galvanise the global fight against COVID-19.</p><p>The UK is playing a leading role in the international response to the pandemic, pledging up to £764 million of UK aid to help address urgent needs in vulnerable countries, accelerate progress towards a vaccine, reinforce infection control and help the poorest countries address the economic impact.</p><p>We are a major contributor to the UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan, which is supporting the most vulnerable people in this crisis, including women and girls, people with disabilities, refugees, internally displaced persons, migrants and host communities. The UK has committed £2.2 billion in new loan resources for the IMF’s concessional lending operations to make rapid emergency financing available for developing countries, and up to £150 million to the IMF Catastrophe Containment Relief Trust for the poorest countries to receive debt relief on IMF repayments. 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. This funding will 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. The UK remains Gavi’s largest donor, pledging an equivalent of £330 million per year over the next five years.</p><p>We continue to use our seat at the table to shape the multilateral response and ensure it addresses the needs and priorities of the poorest and most vulnerable.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 11/06/2020 11:09:28 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1203546

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Libya: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the appeal by the Libyan National Centre for Disease Control for ventilators and other medical supplies to counter COVID-19.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL5681
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK remains concerned about the violent conflict in Libya, the impact this has on the humanitarian situation and implications for COVID-19 response. The UK is supporting the COVID-response in Libya, including through support for online information dissemination; supporting Social Peace Partnerships in over 12 municipalities to deliver awareness-raising campaigns, mobilise production of face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), and delivery of food to vulnerable families; and supporting reporting and analysis on the COVID-19 situation.</p><p>We continue to work closely with WHO and the humanitarian community in Libya to ensure that international funding and expertise are effectively deployed during the COVID-19 outbreak.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 29/06/2020 16:22:59 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1200354

	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	Non-governmental Organisations: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to international non-governmental organisations based in the UK to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
	uin	HL5240
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>UK and Southern Civil Society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners for DFID and play a critical role in ensuring UK aid reaches the most vulnerable in the global response to COVID-19. UK charities, such as Christian Aid and Humanity &amp; Inclusion, are receiving funding to support vulnerable people around the world during the crisis. We have allocated £18 million to charities through the Rapid Response Facility and over £24 million through our partnership with Unilever.</p><p>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. 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>In addition, DFID welcomes the vital role that NGOs will continue to play in service delivery through multilaterals. UN agencies have undertaken a review of their existing procedures related to partnership management and issued additional internal guidance to simplify and expedite collaboration where appropriate. We will be working with the UN and DFID’s country offices to increasingly better understand and track eventual flows to NGOs in-country.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 11/06/2020 11:04:19 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1200360

	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	World Health Organization: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to other countries to ensure that COVID-19 cases reported to the WHO are disaggregated by (1) age, and (2) sex.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5255
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>Disaggregating all data for the pandemic as far as possible by sex, age, disability status is important for understanding differences in exposure, treatment and impact. We have developed guidance on how disaggregated data can be used to monitor the impact of our bilateral programmes’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we are working with our multilateral partner agencies including WHO on this issue.</p><p>DFID is investing £6 million (2018-21) to support the UN Women-led flagship programme initiative on gender data – Making Every Woman and Girl Count and the joint UN Programme on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) data as part of DFID’s wider support to the UN Development System. The programme aims to improve the production, availability, accessibility and use of quality data and statistics on gender equality and VAWG.</p><p>Under the programme, WHO and UN Women have joined forces to establish a new data hub on COVID-19 and gender, which provides latest available data on COVID-19 cases by sex and age. The programme has also adapted quickly to support rapid assessment surveys focused on understanding gendered impacts of COVID-19 across a number of countries. Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh have already gone to the field and other countries in Asia Pacific and Africa will follow.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 16/06/2020 11:09:54 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

753304

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government when they expect a regular air service will begin to and from St Helena.
	tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
	uin	HL992
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2017 answer text <p>The St Helena Government are undertaking a tender process for a regular commercial air service to and from St Helena. On 9 June, the St Helena Government announced that SA Airlink had been chosen as the preferred bidder for the provision of the scheduled service. A formal announcement on details of the service will be made once contract negotiations are complete.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/07/2017 13:50:46 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

751996

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government whether Department for International Development assessors arranged to meet (1) twice with Christians in the Kurdish–Northern Iraq regions, and (2) with those who have given evidence to DfID about the failure to provide support to victims of genocide in northern Iraq and Syria; and if so, whether those assessors failed to attend those meetings in 2015 and subsequently.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL831
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL828 HL829 HL830 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

753935

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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: Tropical Diseases
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development intends only to focus on eradicable neglected tropical diseases.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL1081
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2017 answer text <p>DFID is tackling a range of neglected tropical diseases. One of these, Guinea Worm, is close to eradication. On others – for example schistosomiasis, trachoma and lymphatic filariasis – we are part of a global effort to control and eliminate infections. DFID support to action against these diseases is determined by disease burden, value for money, and the impact on the poor and vulnerable populations they affect.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 27/07/2017 15:43:58 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1200286

	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	Development Aid: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development is providing support to (1) local markets, (2) small and medium-sized enterprises, and (3) the informal economy, in fragile and conflict-affected states during the COVID-19 pandemic; and what steps UK Aid is taking to protect livelihoods in such states.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Goudie
	uin	HL5184
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>We are assessing secondary impacts on local agriculture and food markets in fragile and conflict affected states, and helping to mitigate these through multilateral initiatives such as the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP).</p><p>As a shareholder and leading donor to the Multilateral Development Banks, we have been working with them to ensure that they are rapidly providing much-needed working capital to SMEs and supply chains that workers and farmers in developing countries depend on. This includes $8 billion of fast-tracked support from the International Finance Cooperation.</p><p>We are also exploring how DFID’s private sector development finance programmes can respond and complement this support. For example, CDC is supporting its existing portfolio of investee companies, and their workforces, to weather the crisis, and is looking to make new investments that provide systemic liquidity to companies, including SMEs.</p><p>DFID currently supports social protection and/or humanitarian cash transfer programmes in 35 countries, including Fragile and Conflict Affected States, which support people who are vulnerable to the economic impact of COVID-19.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 15/06/2020 12:57:09 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	3575 label Biography information for Baroness Goudie

1200361

	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	Violence: Females
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government whether the response to violence against women, and in particular, intimate partner violence, is provided for as an essential service within their COVID-19 response overseas.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5256
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is deeply concerned about the surge in violence against women and girls (VAWG) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are using significant investment and influence within the international system to ensure that women and girls have access to the essential and lifesaving services they need.</p><p>We have already provided £10 million of UK aid to the UN Population Fund and £20 million to the UN Children’s Fund to scale up protection and support services for women and girls.</p><p>We are adapting DFID’s WISH programme activities to prevent and respond to reported increases in Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) as a result of the pandemic. This includes mapping of SGBV support services, remote training to support women disclosing SGBV, messaging in media campaigns, such as radio, and referrals to centres providing services for survivors; contact centres to provide first line support; as well as support to advocacy efforts. We are also urgently reorienting other existing bilateral programmes to ensure that women and girls can continue to access support during the lockdown. For example, in Nepal, the UK is financing 14 Women’s and Children Service Centres across the country and 62 One Stop Management Crisis Centres within Health Centres. In Uganda, DFID is supporting the Government's response to the spikes in VAWG by funding 13 shelters across the country and supporting revision of standard operating procedures to ensure safety of frontline staff and survivors.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 11/06/2020 10:57:53 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

751991

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	High Speed 2 Railway Line
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government whether they are increasing financial support for those living in refugee camps on the Burma–Thailand border, and what is their assessment of the danger of refugees being forced back to Burma as a result of cuts in aid to those camps.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL826
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <p>DFID has no current plans to increase financial support for those living in refugee camps on the Burma-Thailand border. We do not currently asses that refugees will be forced back into Burma. We continue to monitor the situation closely.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 20/07/2017 16:24:10 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

755123

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Libya: Overseas Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government whether they have provided any resources to persons or organisations in Libya from the budget of the Department for International Development; and if so, to which projects those resources were allocated.
	tabling member printed	Lord Empey
	uin	HL1131
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2017 answer text <p>The Department for International Development (DFID) supports Libyan authorities and civil society organisations to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Libyans, migrants and refugees, working with trusted humanitarian agencies including the International Organisation for Migration (IoM). In addition, DFID is funding a project with the World Bank to improve public financial management in Libya’s key financial institutions, as part of the cross-Departmental Conflict, Security and Stability Fund for Libya.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 27/07/2017 15:53:11 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	4216 label Biography information for Lord Empey

751994

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Energy
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government whether they have received a request from Dr Russell Blacker and representatives of charities and relief organisations involved with northern Iraq, along with Members of both Houses, for an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State for International Development, to discuss support for minority communities subjected to genocide in northern Iraq; and, if so, how they intend to respond.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL829
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL828 HL830 HL831 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool