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1203357

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2020
	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: Genito-urinary Medicine
	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 potential effect of the covid-19 outbreak on levels of Official Development Assistance; and if she will maintain a existing levels of support for sexual and reproductive health and rights and family planning services in (a) 2020 and (b) future budgets.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	59207
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2020 answer text <p>Our aid spending is linked to the growth of our economy.</p><p>We are working closely with the Treasury to understand the likely forecasts and to ensure that we can meet our 0.7% commitment.</p><p>The UK is committed to advancing and defending comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights and, as a leading global donor, we will continue to be a progressive voice on this issue to give women in developing countries the reproductive health choices they want and need.</p><p>We are working across Departments to ensure that we continue to drive UK aid spending and commit our Official Development Assistance to the world’s most vulnerable and poorest people.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 17/06/2020 16:15:43 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

1220056

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Nutrition
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Foreign Secretary on the maintenance of existing levels of support for nutrition programmes after the merger of her Department with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	67594
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2020 answer text <p>The UK remains committed to preventing and treating malnutrition as part of our commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers, new-borns and children. Addressing poor nutrition is also critical in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>Decisions on how UK aid is spent will be for the new department to make, informed by the outcomes of the Integrated Review, expected to conclude later in the year. The Review will define our ambition for the UK’s role in the world, including delivery of the manifesto commitments.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 06/07/2020 15:11:34 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

1220057

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Nutrition: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason the funding allocated to nutrition-specific investments in 2018 was 20 per cent lower than in 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	67595
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2020 answer text <p>The reduction in nutrition-specific spend between 2017 and 2018 is the result of several standalone nutrition programmes coming to an end, with nutrition activities integrated into broader health investments.</p><p>Donor investments in nutrition-specific activities are currently tracked through the OECD DAC Creditor Reporting System using a single code: ‘basic nutrition’. Only programmes that are solely focused on nutrition appear in the Creditor Reporting System under the basic nutrition code. Over the past few years, we have actively promoted integration of nutrition services into health investments. However, this has meant that spend on nutrition-specific activities is reported against other health codes rather than basic nutrition.</p><p>Independent analysis of donor nutrition financing noted that – relative to other donors – DFID disburses a greater proportion of nutrition-specific aid through health codes other than basic nutrition. This was ascribed to us having a greater emphasis on addressing nutrition through integrated health programmes.</p><p>We remain committed to supporting the scale up of high-impact nutrition-specific services – including through our investments in the Power of Nutrition and through a new partnership with UNICEF.</p><p>We will also be applying the new OECD DAC policy marker for nutrition from 2020 onwards. This should help strengthen monitoring of the UK’s investments to prevent and treat malnutrition.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 06/07/2020 15:13:59 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

1220058

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Children: Nutrition
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on progress in tackling child (a) wasting and (b) stunting.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	67596
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2020 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned about the indirect impacts COVID-19 could have on people’s nutrition, the implications for loss of life and for long term deficits to children’s growth and development. Early estimates suggested that every percentage point drop in global GDP could result in an additional 0.7 million stunted children.</p><p>Since the early stages of the pandemic, we have been closely engaged in detailed modelling being carried out by academic and operational partners. This modelling assesses the likely increases in child wasting and stunting as a result of disruptions to health and nutrition services and to people’s ability to access nutritious foods. These estimates are due to be published in the Lancet journal shortly and will represent an evidence-based and collective view from global experts of the impact the pandemic will have on nutrition.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 06/07/2020 15:14:53 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

1220059

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Nutrition
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government plans to take to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children under five through investments in global nutrition.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	67597
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2020 answer text <p>The UK remains committed to preventing and treating malnutrition as part of our pledge to end the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children. Continued investment to protect the nutrition of the poorest people in the world is even more important as countries face worsening levels of malnutrition in the face of COVID-19. We will continue to support programmes to address malnutrition beyond 2020 and will work with the Government of Japan to ensure the 2021 Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit is a success.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 06/07/2020 15:15:25 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

523110

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2016
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Development Aid
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether other government departments are required to provide evidence to her Department that official development assistance disbursed by that department tackling global challenges is in the national interest.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	39301
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2016 answer text <p>The UK Aid Strategy set out how the government’s aid budget will be restructured to ensure that it is spent on tackling the great global challenges from the root cause of migration and disease to the threat of terrorism and climate change, all of which impact the world’s poor and directly threaten Britain’s interests. The UK Aid Strategy sets out spending and reporting requirements.</p><p>All departments spending ODA will be required to put in place a clear plan to ensure that their programme design, quality assurance, approval, contracting and procurement, monitoring, reporting and evaluation processes represent international best practice. All UK ODA is administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective, in line with the internationally agreed rules on ODA.</p><p>ODA-spending departments and funds must provide accurate and timely information on their ODA spending to DFID to meet OECD reporting requirements.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Sir Desmond Swayne question first answered 13/06/2016 16:27:23 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

539673

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2016
	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: Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department employs staff with responsibility for developing best practice on withdrawing bilateral programmes from countries that transition to middle-income status.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	43167
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2016 answer text <p>Transition planning and development of best practice is led by the relevant country office, with support from officials in the UK and across regions. Each transition process has been different depending on circumstance. ICAI is currently undertaking a review of DFID’s approach to transition and their report is due to be published towards the end of 2016.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 25/07/2016 11:29:01 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

676073

	registered interest
	date	20/01/2017
	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: Electricity
	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 potential effect of the provision of reliable base-load electricity in delivering Sustainable Development Goals other than goal seven.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	61006
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2017 answer text <p>Energy poverty puts a brake on economic and social development and undermines the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Our policy is to support a range of generation technologies and distribution approaches (grid, off-grid, mini-grid), including base-load electricity when we can clearly add value. Reliable power from base-load electricity and other sources contributes to a number of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is crucial, for example, to controlling costs for businesses that might otherwise need to run expensive generators to maintain production (SDG 9). There is a knock on effect to employment, incomes and a range of associated social indicators. Reliable power is also crucial for running public services – such as water and sanitation systems or health clinics – effectively (SDGs 3 and 6) and can help increase school enrolment and attendance rates (SDG 4).</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 27/01/2017 13:24:38 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

676074

	registered interest
	date	20/01/2017
	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: Electricity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the relative costs of (a) coal, (b) gas, (c) oil, (d) nuclear, (e) offshore wind, (f) onshore wind, (g) large-scale hydro and (h) solar PV in the delivery of utility scale electrification in developing countries.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	61007
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2017 answer text <p>DFID is committed to supporting low-income countries to adopt climate-smart approaches to addressing their acute energy deficits. The relative costs of different technologies will depend on individual country contexts. Full life-cycle and environmental costs should be considered. In November 2015, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, with DFID support, published a study of costs of different technologies in 14 developing countries (‘Levelised Costs of Electricity’). Since this study was completed, there has been a rapid reduction in the costs of renewable technologies, especially solar.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 27/01/2017 13:23:19 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

690417

	registered interest
	date	17/02/2017
	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: Electricity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2017 to Question 61007 on developing countries: electricity, what action she has taken in light of the conclusion of the report by Blomberg New Energy Finance that new utility-scale wind and solar power are, in most cases, more expensive than coal and gas-fired power in her Department's 28 priority countries.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	64236
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2017 answer text <p>DFID’s approach is to look carefully at a range of evidence on energy costs when deciding how to support partner countries with their energy strategies. The Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) report referred to is one such source of evidence. Other sources include a more recent publication from BNEF as well as World Bank research. This more recent evidence indicates that utility-scale renewables – in particular solar – is increasingly cost-competitive with gas-fired power even in DFID focus countries.</p><p>DFID will always help countries to deliver a mixed energy portfolio suited to their needs. DFID’s recently launched Economic Development Strategy sets out our approach to energy as part of our overall approach to inclusive economic development.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 24/02/2017 15:09:13 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma