Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

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

1150874

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	Developing Countries: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to integrate a life cycle approach that reaches older women and men into its work to help disabled people.
tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
uin	2753
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>The UK Government recognises that older people with disabilities experience a range of complex barriers and face multiple exclusions.</p><p> </p><p>DFID’s Strategy for Disability Inclusive Development 2018-23 sets out our vision of a world where people with disabilities at all stages of their lives are engaged, empowered and able to exercise and enjoy their rights on an equal basis with others. The strategy takes a life-course approach, ensuring the delivery of transformative change for persons with disabilities of all ages.</p><p> </p><p>DFID has taken important steps to meet this ambition, including supporting governments to make vital social protection systems more inclusive. For example, the UK has been proud to partner with the Government of Uganda over the last 10 years to deliver a Senior Citizen Grant, which includes support for over 70,000 older people with disabilities each year.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 24/10/2019 13:40:30 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

1150945

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	Department for International Development: Islam
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff in his Department reported their religion as Islam in the latest period for which figures are available; what the reported ethnicity of those staff was; and how many of those staff were employed at each grade.
tabling member constituency	Bradford West
tabling member printed	Naz Shah
uin	2796
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2019 answer text <p>The Department for International Development (DFID) employs around 3,500 staff, around 2,800 of whom are home civil servants. According to March 2019 data from the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ACSES), available publicly online, 1490 home civil service DFID staff have a known religion. Of these, 40 have identified as Muslim. This figure does not include ‘do not wish to declare’ responses. According to the ACSES survey, DFID’s reporting rate for religion or belief was 52.6% in March 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The ACSES provides published detail on the number of civil servants reporting their religion and ethnicity by department and by grade but not by the measures combined. We are therefore unable to provide published detail on the ethnicity of staff who declared as Muslim, or how many of these staff are employed at each grade.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 29/10/2019 17:19:45 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4409 label Biography information for Naz Shah

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

1151098

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	Syria: Humanitarian Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the humanitarian situation in north east Syria.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Lloyd Russell-Moyle
uin	2946
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>The situation in Northeast Syria remains very fluid, and we are continually adjusting our assessment of the current impact on the humanitarian situation in the region at this stage. Prior to the recent military action, there were already 1.65 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in the region. The UN reports at least 170,000 people have been displaced since the Turkish military action began, including at least 70,000 children. Critical civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, has also been affected by the conflict. The ongoing military action on the ground is also impacting the humanitarian response. Many NGOs have already had to withdraw staff, and some have suspended activities altogether. This is very concerning, and we are discussing closely with our NGO partners and the UN. The Secretary of State has been in contact with Sir Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, to identify any gaps in the humanitarian response, and ensure those affected by the situation in Northeast Syria are getting the support they need.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 24/10/2019 13:34:32 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4615 label Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle

1151140

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	Humanitarian Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to provide humanitarian assistance to religious minority communities in conflict areas.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	2712
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>Humanitarian assistance is provided on the basis of need, irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity. The UK is a staunch defender of the international humanitarian principles which were originated by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the most vulnerable, including those from religious minorities</p><p>The situation of minority communities is taken into account by our partners when assessing those most in need in a given humanitarian context. This includes when a community is being targeted or is otherwise vulnerable because of their faith. We actively consult faith based organisations to understand how best to support vulnerable groups.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 28/10/2019 17:20:13 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

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