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452357

registered interest
date	11/02/2016
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Bangladesh: Conditions of Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage UK companies to improve (a) working conditions, (b) safety standards and (c) pay in clothes factories in Bangladesh in their supply chains.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	27154
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2016 answer text <p>The UK, through DFID, is encouraging UK companies to improve working conditions, safety standards and pay in the garment sector in Bangladesh in a number of ways. The UK has used every opportunity to call for companies to take responsibility for the working conditions. This has included a Westminster Hall debate, repeat Ministerial visits to Bangladesh, and various meetings with retailers and buyers.</p><p>The UK Government has also encouraged all UK Brands to sign up to the Bangladesh Safety Accord, an independent and legally-binding agreement between trade unions and private companies that was established in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster to improve safety and health standards in the Bangladeshi Ready-Made Garment Industry. A total of 30 UK companies have signed the Accord.</p><p>The UK is also supporting the Trade in Global Value Chains Initiative (TGVCI) which supports UK companies to invest more in their supply chains and improve working conditions in the factories in which they are working. DFID also supports the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which is a leading alliance of British companies, trade unions and non-governmental organisations working together to improve the lives of workers around the world.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 25/02/2016 13:43:19 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

452451

registered interest
date	11/02/2016
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Bangladesh: Factories
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage the government of Bangladesh to improve (a) working conditions, (b) safety standards and (c) pay in clothes factories used by international companies in Bangladesh.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	27155
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2016 answer text <p>The UK, through FCO and DFID is encouraging the government of Bangladesh to improve working conditions and safety standards in the garment sector in a number of ways.</p><p>The UK actively lobbies the government on these issues through the 3 + 5 mechanism that was established as part of the Sustainability Compact.</p><p>We are also working with the Government of Bangladesh to improve the framework within which factories operate. As part of our Garments sector programme, we are building the capacity of the government to significantly improve factory regulation and inspection by strengthening the Department for Inspection of Factories and Establishment. Through our support, this Department will have a 575 member cadre of professional labour inspectors, who among other things, will ensure that factories are safe and that they pay workers their salaries and overtime payments according to the law. The UK has also helped fund building, fire and electrical safety inspections in 1500 garment factories.</p><p>In 2013, as a result of lobbying from major stakeholders including the UK, Bangladesh raised the minimum wage for the country’s garment workers by 77 percent to 5,300 taka (£42) per month.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 25/02/2016 13:44:22 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

452494

registered interest
date	11/02/2016
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Israel: Palestinians
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 10 February 2016 to Question 25684, what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the (a) destruction of structures confirmed to have been funded by the EU and (b) possibility of seeking costs related to that damage from Israeli authorities.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	27150
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2016 answer text <p>We are awaiting confirmation from OCHA and the EU on the details of the structures demolished in South Hebron. We have raised our concerns with the Israeli government over the demolition of these structures in South Hebron. Demolitions of Palestinian homes and buildings cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians, and are harmful to the peace process. The UK continues to raise with Israeli authorities our serious concern at the increase in demolitions of Palestinian properties and structures in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 22/02/2016 13:30:23 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

452495

registered interest
date	11/02/2016
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Bangladesh: Working Conditions
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 effect of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety on working conditions and safety standards in Bangladesh.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	27156
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2016 answer text <p><em> </em></p><p>The Accord has played an important role in pushing up working conditions and safety standards in the Garments sector in Bangladesh. Since 2013 the Accord has independently inspected 1, 390 factories in the supply chains of their signatory brands. It has then supported those factories that continue to sell to Accord brands to implement Corrective Action Plans, resulting in safer factories for 2.4 million workers.</p><p> </p><p>A review of the Bangladesh Sustainability Compact, completed by the EU, US and ILO in January 2016, recognised the contribution of private sector initiatives such as the Accord in improving labour, health and safety conditions for Bangladeshi workers.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 22/02/2016 13:30:53 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

450263

registered interest
date	03/02/2016
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Israel: Palestinians
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any of the structures destroyed by the Israeli authorities in the South Hebron Hills on 2 February 2016 were fully or part-funded by the Government; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	25684
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>The UK government is concerned by the increase in demolitions of properties in Area C of the West Bank which are harmful to peace, and continues to raise this with Israeli authorities. According to OCHA, at least 21 of the 23 structures demolished on 2<sup>nd</sup> February in the South Hebron Hills had been funded by international donors. We are awaiting confirmation from OCHA, however we understand 10 of these structures were funded by the EU.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 10/02/2016 13:17:40 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

446856

registered interest
date	21/01/2016
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Syria: Refugees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that adequate clean water is provided in refugee camps near the Syrian border.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	23593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. We have pledged over £1.1 billion, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. We are the second largest bilateral donor after the US.</p><p>In 2015/16 DFID is working with 18 humanitarian partners in countries neighbouring Syria. Our funding has provided access to clean water for over 980,000 people in these countries since the start of the crisis.</p><p>In Jordan, DFID provides funding to UNICEF’s water supply work in refugee camps. In Zaatari Camp this involves the construction of boreholes in order to reduce daily running costs of trucking water into the camp. In December, for the first time since it opened, no external water trucking is needed for Zaatari camp. In Azraq Camp DFID contributes to the construction of boreholes, water distribution network and sanitation infrastructure.</p><p>The vast majority of Syrian refugees live amongst host communities. The government’s response is therefore focused on refugees within these communities, not solely those in formal and informal camps. As a result, we are also funding Lebanese and Jordanian municipalities for the running of essential public services, including water and sanitation.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 28/01/2016 11:18:52 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

446859

registered interest
date	21/01/2016
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Palestinians: 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 she has had with the UN Relief and Work Agency of the potential effect of financial shortfalls in (a) 2015-16 and (b) future on the provision of aid to the Palestinian Territories.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	23651
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for International Development met UNRWA’s Commissioner General, Pierre Krahenbuhl, in December 2015 to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to UNRWA. Their discussion also focused on the important reforms UNRWA has been undertaking to address their chronic deficit and the need for UNRWA to diversify their donor base. The UK remains the third largest donor to UNRWA’s core budget and emergency appeals, in recognition of the important work that UNRWA does and that Palestinian refugees are a particularly vulnerable group across the region.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 28/01/2016 11:19:11 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

429415

registered interest
date	19/11/2015
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what conditions are placed on her Department's funding for the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition; and whether such funding is (a) regularly reviewed and (b) preceded by local consultation in those countries that receive such funding.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	17015
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2015 answer text <p>In 2012, the UK made a £600m pledge to the New Alliance, consisting of projects in 6 founding member countries, which aim at improving incomes from agricultural production, and the food security and nutrition of smallholder farmers and the extreme poor. The objective of the pledge was to be more transparent about aid to agriculture and food security, in alignment with principles of aid effectiveness and the overall goal of the New Alliance. The £600m also included funding to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP, managed by the World Bank) and other international agriculture research and policy initiatives.</p><br /><p>Like every programme funded by DFID, projects pledged under the New Alliance are subject to annual reviews that are posted on the DFID Development Tracker website. At national level, governments lead an annual review of the progress of commitments, in consultation with development and private sector actors, which findings are made public on the New Alliance website.</p><br /> answering member constituency Welwyn Hatfield answering member printed Grant Shapps question first answered 26/11/2015 17:03:46 answering member 1582 label Biography information for Grant Shapps
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

429418

registered interest
date	19/11/2015
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: Food
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 agroecology on food production in the developing world; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	17073
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2015 answer text <p>DFID supports a number of research programmes that assess the use of agroecology and sustainable intensification of agriculture, such as work with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification Research and Learning in Africa. Research shows that yields improvements are context-based and can vary significantly, according to local agroclimatic potential, effective productivity levels and farmers’ investment capacity.</p><br /><p>DFID believes agro ecological approaches have an important role to play in specific contexts, but does not prescribe technical approaches centrally. DFID supports a wide range of programmes with agro-ecological components, from soil and water conservation and land use management to climate resilience, conservation agriculture and agroforestry. These include, for example, The Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP), and Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED). The full range of our programmes can be found on our Development Tracker website.</p> answering member constituency Welwyn Hatfield answering member printed Grant Shapps question first answered 26/11/2015 17:01:08 answering member 1582 label Biography information for Grant Shapps
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

426787

registered interest
date	06/11/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to (a) increase the provision of humanitarian aid in Yemen and (b) ensure that that aid gets to where it is most needed.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	15195
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2015 answer text <p>Increasing the provision of humanitarian aid to Yemen and ensuring that aid gets to those most in need has been one of the UK’s top priorities for Yemen:</p><br /><ul><li>In July the Foreign and Development Secretaries wrote to international donors to raise the profile of Yemen’s humanitarian crisis and encourage more funding to the response.</li><li>On 28 September, the Development Secretary co-hosted a side event on Yemen’s humanitarian crisis at UNGA, at which donors (including the UK) pledged an additional $129 million to Yemen. The Co-Chairs statement from the meeting can be found here: <a href="http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/co-chairs-statement-ministerial-yemen-meeting-monday-28-september-2015" target="_blank">http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/co-chairs-statement-ministerial-yemen-meeting-monday-28-september-2015</a>.</li><li>The UK has also worked closely with the King Salman Humanitarian Centre and the UN to ensure Saudi Arabia’s generous $274 million pledge to the UN Flash Appeal was delivered by September this year.</li><li>The UK has also announced £75 million to respond to the crisis in Yemen.</li></ul><br /><p>We work with trusted and impartial actors who have a strong record of prioritising assistance to those most in need and delivering assistance in difficult and dangerous places. We continue to call on all parties to facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered access to all people in need in Yemen; to safeguard key infrastructure, including airports, sea ports, fuel distribution sites and major access routes into Yemen; and to respect the importance of ensuring humanitarian aid is not politicised and goes to the neediest. We will continue to support the UN and NGO partners’ efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance effectively.</p> answering member constituency New Forest West answering member printed Mr Desmond Swayne question first answered 16/11/2015 16:44:56 answering member 55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden