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1227328

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	East Africa: World Food Programme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will allocate additional funding to the World Food Programme to enable it to increase assistance to East African countries; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	78491
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned about the food security situation in East Africa, where nearly 25 million people are at crisis levels of food insecurity. Existing humanitarian need will be exacerbated by climate change, the desert locust outbreak and the impact of Covid-19.</p><p>The UK is working across East Africa to provide life-saving assistance, cash transfers where markets are still functioning, and tools and seeds to build a longer-term ability to respond to shocks. We are working through both our country programming and multilateral responses, which includes through the World Food Programme (WFP). In 2019, DFID has provided almost USD 700million to support WFP's operations. In 2020, our contribution so far is USD 254million (this includes a USD 19million contribution to WFP's global services in response to Covid-19).</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 08:39:04 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1227327

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Ethiopia: Food Supply
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the food security situation in Ethiopia; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	78490
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The worsening food security situation in Ethiopia is a significant concern. Ethiopia faces the triple threat of drought and floods, the worst desert locust outbreak in generations, and Covid-19. The UN and GoE estimate that 15 million people will be in need of humanitarian food assistance in the coming months and over 4 million children and mothers will face acute malnutrition as the full impacts of the triple-threat crisis materialise. The UK is a committed partner to the Government of Ethiopia and is supporting food and nutrition responses for the most vulnerable people. The UK recently announced £17 million for the East Africa desert locust response, bringing our total contribution up to £25 million.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 08:42:00 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1226863

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Department for International Development: Procurement
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has been made of the financial sustainability of her Department's (a) major and (b) SME suppliers; how many of those suppliers have been classified as at financial risk; and whether her Department has taken steps to support individual suppliers that are at risk.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	77635
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is actively monitoring and assessing the overall financial health of our supply partners to understand the impact of the global economic downturn and Covid-19 on our supplier base and identify supply partners who are at higher financial risk.</p><p>The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office relies heavily on the capacity, expertise, resilience and flexibility of our supply partners large and small, without them we cannot deliver UK aid. A generous package of support has been made available by the Chancellor for UK businesses, including supplier relief for those in the aid sector. DFID has worked with SMEs and major supply partners to find pragmatic and flexible ways to maintain delivery of essential programmes, including amendments to payment schedules, delivery milestones and alternative working arrangements where appropriate.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 12:46:56 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1227087

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

1225952

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

1227377

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	CDC: Wonderchef
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding the CDC Group has invested in Wonderchef to date.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	78894
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>CDC's investment into Wonderchef is supporting economic activity for thousands of women who participate in its direct-to-home sales network. Since CDC's investment was made in 2018, the company has also created around 350 direct jobs, with the number of female employees more than doubling in that time. In addition, the company has increased local sourcing of its products helping deliver impact through its supply chain.</p><p>This investment was made through a private equity fund managed by Amicus Capital Partners. CDC's partnership model with Fund managers helps it achieve impact at scale by supporting hundreds of SMEs across South Asia and Africa. In addition to backing local teams of investors, and equipping them with strong Environmental, Social and Governance practices, the model helps support the development of self-sustaining local finance markets.</p><p>CDC publishes the amounts it invests directly into businesses and investment funds on its website www.cdcgroup.com. Individual investment amounts made by its partners are not disclosed as this information is commercially sensitive.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 08:12:51 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1227383

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	CDC: Investment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what investments the CDC Group has made since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	78897
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>CDC invests to achieve two key objectives: To support the business growth that lifts people out of poverty, and to make a financial return, which CDC then reinvests to improve the lives of people in Africa and South Asia. CDC have only made new commitments in Africa and South Asia since 2012. At the end of 2019, CDC had invested in 1,228 businesses - 690 in Africa and 377 in South Asia. In 2019, CDC made £1.66 billion of new commitments and increased its portfolio to £4.7 billion.</p><p>CDC publishes a full list of its new investment commitments each year in its Annual Reviews (2010 - present) which can be accessed online at www.cdcgroup.com/en/.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 12:51:14 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1227382

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	CDC: ONOMO Hotels
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding the CDC Group has invested in ONOMO Hotels to date.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	78896
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>CDC has made investment commitments to ONOMO Hotels of £41 million.</p><p>CDC's investment in ONOMO is creating jobs and stability in some of the world's most challenged countries including: Mali, Togo, Guinea, Cameroon and Cote D'Ivoire. Since the investment the company has created around 250 new permanent jobs.</p><p>CDC's investment also benefits the local economy. For example, as ONOMO now has the capital to expand it was able to employ around 750 construction workers as it added to its sites in 2019. In addition, it purchases around £11 million's worth of locally sourced goods each year - helping create demand for local suppliers.</p><p>As with every CDC investment, it has been made with high Environmental, Social and Governance Standards in mind. CDC is working with the company to reduce energy and water use and ensure its new hotels are built using green design and construction.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 12:56:56 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1227384

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	CDC: Investment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of CDC Group investments in luxury brands and hotel chains with its mission statement to make a lasting difference to people’s lives in some of the world’s poorest places.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	78898
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>All of CDC's investments undergo a comprehensive and systematic assessment of their expected development impact using internationally recognised best practice methods. A team of over 60 development specialists work to ensure that each investment brings about a positive economic, social and environmental change in support of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.</p><p>CDC invests to support the growth of companies that create employment and help transform economies, through the goods and services they produce and sell and the local taxes they generate. In 2019, CDC invested in businesses in Africa and South Asia that employed 875,790; generated 57 terawatt hours of electricity; and its agricultural investments sourced from 1.84 million farmers.</p><p>Africa needs increased economic infrastructure to unlock its full economic potential and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. CDC's primary aim when investing into the hotel sector is to create more and better jobs in countries that desperately need them. In addition, these investments support both local and national economic growth. For example, by purchasing goods and services from local suppliers, and by improving economic infrastructure.</p><p>Information about CDC's approach to assessing and monitoring the development impact of its investments is available on its website.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 08:10:04 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1226509

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Remittances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps she has taken to support diaspora communities in the UK seeking to send remittances abroad to have access to transparent transaction costs in relation to those remittances.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
	tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
	uin	76840
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government has taken steps to improve transparency in the remittance sector, not just in the UK but globally. We co-lead with the Swiss Government with the support of multilateral organisations on the Global Call to Action to keep remittances flowing and to improve transparency in the sector.</p><p>The department is working closely HM Treasury to improve transparency in the sector. In the UK, we have worked cross Government to develop communication lines to encourage the diaspora community to use digital channels and to review the different options available before sending funding.</p><p>We are working with industry associations and leading remittance service providers on how best to improve transparency in the sector and are reviewing the key lessons from other development agencies who have sought to improve transparency in remittances in their countries.</p><p>We understand the need for remitters to be well informed (especially about the cost of sending money abroad) and are working towards solutions that are sustainable, effective and represent good value for money.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 27/07/2020 17:04:03 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill