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1150853

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Pakistan: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report of the Pakistani Minorities and Freedom of Religion or Belief All-Party Parliamentary Group entitled, Religious Minorities of Pakistan: Report of a Parliamentary Visit, published on 9 September 2019.
tabling member constituency	St Helens South and Whiston
tabling member printed	Ms Marie Rimmer
uin	2737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2019 answer text <p>We welcome the recent All-Party Parliamentary Group report which identifies a range of concerns facing religious minorities in Pakistan. These are important issues and the UK is committed to promoting inclusion and tolerance through our development aid in Pakistan.</p><p> </p><p>We regularly review how our assistance benefits poor and marginalised people in Pakistan, including those from religious minorities. Baroness Sugg and Lord Ahmad will be meeting with the Chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups for <em>Pakistani minorities</em> and <em>International Freedom of Religion or Belief</em> to discuss the report’s findings and consider what more can be done in the future.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 29/10/2019 15:12:07 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4457 label Biography information for Ms Marie Rimmer

1150854

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Pakistan: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will allocate additional funding for programmes in Pakistan to (a) educate school children from minority backgrounds, (b) institute a scheme of specialist educational scholarships for minority students and (c) provide professional training to adults from religious minority groups.
tabling member constituency	St Helens South and Whiston
tabling member printed	Ms Marie Rimmer
uin	2738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2019 answer text <p>UK aid prioritises support for the poorest and most excluded people and communities in Pakistan regardless of race, religion, social background or nationality. DFID Pakistan is currently developing new education programmes and as part of this process we will actively consider what we can do to benefit these groups.</p><p> </p><p>Previous and current DFID programmes in Pakistan have supported senior secondary and higher education scholarships for children from minority groups in Punjab. The Alif Ailaan education campaign had a focus on religious minorities in regions such as Tharpakar, Badin, Multan, and Rahimyar Khan where the local campaigners have advocated for religious minorities and highlighted their issues to authorities at the district and provincial levels.</p><p> </p><p>Nearly 6,000 people from religious minorities have received training through the Punjab Skills Development Fund’s regular skill schemes, and the Fund is launching an exclusive skills scheme for religious minorities from January 2020. Under this scheme, a further 5,000 people from religious minorities (40% women) who are unemployed will be trained in a variety of trades that will lead to work. Lessons from this experience will help the Punjab Skills Development Fund further refine its interventions for minorities.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 29/10/2019 15:13:07 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4457 label Biography information for Ms Marie Rimmer

1150892

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Cameroon: Peace Negotiations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Cameroon.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	2903
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>​The British Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. We continue to raise these concerns at the highest levels, including with the Government of Cameroon, at the UN and with international partners. During briefings on conflict prevention, peace and security at the UN Security Council in October, the UK welcomed the National Dialogue that took place in Cameroon from 30 September – 4 October as an initial step to bring parties together to work towards peace. The subsequent release of 333 prisoners arrested in connection with the crisis was also a welcome step. We hope these developments will build confidence among all parties to engage in efforts to bring peace to the North-West and South-West regions. Inclusive discussions about the root causes of people’s grievances and follow up on recommendations made at the National Dialogue are urgently needed to maintain momentum.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 28/10/2019 15:18:42 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1151036

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Overseas Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to meet the Government commitment that all Departments be graded good or very good for the transparency of their official development assistance spending by 2020.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	2847
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>DFID continues to provide support to all government departments to improve the transparency of official development assistance spending.</p><p> </p><p>During 2019 DFID commissioned a formal assessment to measure progress towards the Government’s aid transparency commitments. The results of this assessment will be published in December.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 24/10/2019 13:06:47 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1151038

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Overseas Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of official development assistance spent in the least developed countries.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	2848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>UK aid aims to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the Government’s objectives as set out in the 2015 UK Aid Strategy. As such, the UK focuses most of its aid spending on countries with the highest need; in low-income, fragile, and conflict-affected regions. Some assistance is provided to middle-income countries where there are still enduring high levels of poverty. These countries may no longer need grant aid, but may require assistance in other ways, such as technical expertise or help raising their own revenue to reduce poverty. The 2016 bilateral and multilateral development reviews (available <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rising-to-the-challenge-of-ending-poverty-the-bilateral-development-review-2016" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raising-the-standard-the-multilateral-development-review-2016" target="_blank">here</a>) set out our approach to allocations in more detail.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 24/10/2019 13:08:30 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1151041

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
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: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of bilateral official development assistance spent on education.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	2849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>Helping poor countries provide 12 years of good quality education, particularly for girls, is a top priority for this Government.</p><p> </p><p>DFID Ministers have approved seven new country education programmes with a total value of £640m in sub-Saharan Africa where education outcomes lag furthest behind, to drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goal for education and meet the commitments in DFID’s 2018 ‘Get Children Learning’ Policy.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the UK remains a lead donor to the major multilateral education funds the Global Partnership for Education and Education Cannot Wait – the education in emergencies fund – and has made the leading pledge to the new International Finance Facility for Education which will improve standards and increase education finance in Lower-Middle Income Countries.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 24/10/2019 13:09:46 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1151141

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
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: Cost Effectiveness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps he has taken to ensure value for money in Overseas Development Assistance.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	2713
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2019 answer text <p>Driving value for money in UK aid is critical to delivering the global goals, tackling extreme poverty and enhancing global security.</p><p>DFID has robust controls and processes in place to ensure each pound spent improves poor people’s lives. Indeed, in a recent review from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (February 2018), which assessed DFID’s approach to Value for Money in programme and portfolio management, it was noted that DFID’s systems “<em>improve the return on UK investment in aid</em>”. It recognised DFID as “<em>a global champion on value for money</em>” and noted that “<em>Value for money is fully embedded in our systems and processes</em>.”</p><p>While we know DFID deserves this praise, we also know we can always improve and are not complacent in our efforts to strengthen our approach. That is why we are seeking to develop a stronger approach to capturing the impact of our spend to ensure we deliver value for money across our portfolio.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 29/10/2019 15:13:54 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1151143

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Overseas Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the UK commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of GDP on development aid.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	2715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of our Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance is enshrined in law and in the Conservative manifesto and was re-affirmed by the Chancellor in the recently announced Spending Round on 4 September 2019. The Secretary of State reiterated this commitment in a recent International Development Committee oral evidence session on the priorities and future of the Department for International Development.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 28/10/2019 15:58:44 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1150502

registered interest
date	17/10/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Sub-Saharan Africa: Foreign Relations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many times the Sub-Saharan Africa National Security Strategy Implementation Group has met since its formation.
tabling member constituency	West Dunbartonshire
tabling member printed	Martin Docherty-Hughes
uin	1690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>National Strategy Implementation Groups implement National Security Council direction for specific priority areas, which can change over time. It would not be appropriate to provide a running public commentary on their work, as some National Strategy Implementation Group work could be sensitive at the time.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 24/10/2019 13:19:48 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4374 label Biography information for Martin Docherty-Hughes

1150506

registered interest
date	17/10/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Nigeria: Foreign Relations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the progress that the National Security Council has made in developing the Government’s strategy on Nigeria.
tabling member constituency	West Dunbartonshire
tabling member printed	Martin Docherty-Hughes
uin	1691
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>​The Government has no plans to make public the detail of National Security Council activity.The Government’s strategy on Nigeria is focused on working with President Buhari’s administration during his second term on our shared goals of prosperity, security, migration and development. We are working together to help Nigeria invest in its people, create more jobs, and address security and stability issues. The former Foreign Secretary met the Nigerian Vice President during his visit in April to discuss long-term solutions to improve livelihoods and opportunity across the country. We routinely work with the Nigerian Government, non-governmental organisations and civil society groups as part of our broader engagement in Nigeria.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson grouped question UIN 1692 question first answered 24/10/2019 13:39:11 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4374 label Biography information for Martin Docherty-Hughes