Some 800 military personnel have been deployed to Sierra Leone to aid in the UK effort. These personnel have supported the establishment of a command and control logistical hub that will provide the backbone of infrastructure, commodities, training and management needed to scale up the response in Sierra Leone. They are also supporting the ongoing construction and operation of Ebola treatment centres, and are running and staffing a World Health Organisation-led Ebola training academy. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, RFA Argus, and three Merlin helicopters have now arrived in Sierra Leone to provide crucial logistic and transport support to medical teams and aid experts.<\/p>
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To date the UK has received 2140 applications from British medical staff and initial indications of staffing profiles and needs were received from partners on 20 October. DFID and UKMED are currently matching profiles with staffing requirements. Pre-deployment training has already started in the UK for staff deploying to the Kerry Town facility.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1555", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justine Greening"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Putney"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Justine Greening"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-05T15:50:57.6601053Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sierra Leone"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many British military and NHS personnel are in Sierra Leone to deal with Ebola; and what plans the Government has to increase their numbers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3920", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Naomi Long"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Belfast East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Naomi Long"} ], "uin" : "212430"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101589", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101589/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
UN humanitarian helicopters are operated by the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which transports humanitarian organisations and donor representatives in the DRC and completes airlift operations. Unless specially authorised by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator or the World Food Programme Country Director, military personnel may not be carried on UNHAS flights. No arms and ammunition are allowed on board UNHAS flights. On 23 July 2014 the Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC authorised the transport of some MONUSCO staff in UNHAS planes to small bases in the west of the DRC, in areas where no other transport options are available. MONUSCO staff can only be transported in civilian clothing, and no military equipment will be transported by UNHAS.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1531", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Featherstone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hornsey and Wood Green"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lynne Featherstone"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T16:36:28.9307491Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Democratic Republic of Congo"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reports she received of the use of UN humanitarian helicopters to transport military personnel in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo; whether such transport is in accordance with the MONUSCO mandate; whether such transport is funded by her Department; and what assessment she has made of the effect of such transport on the (a) safety and (b) effectiveness of humanitarian personnel.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1499", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Martin Horwood"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Martin Horwood"} ], "uin" : "212416"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101660", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101660/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The New Alliance was launched in May 2012. Since its launch, UK support to the New Alliance has focused on action to support agriculture, food security and nutrition \u2013 specifically, developing policy instruments, technology and innovation and risk management. DFID\u2019s spend on these enabling actions over the last two completed years is as follows: (FY 2012/13) £12 million, (FY 2013/14) £17 million.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/55", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "New Forest West"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Desmond Swayne"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-05T17:40:53.2972501Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department has given to the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in each of the last three years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1593", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sammy Wilson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Antrim"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sammy Wilson"} ], "uin" : "212530"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101472", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101472/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK Medical Research Council (MRC) leads the UK Government relationship with the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). Over the period 2013-2018, DFID will provide £10 million to EDCTP through the MRC. In addition DFID support for product development research is counted as a Member State contribution to EDCTP.<\/p>
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DFID contributes to a number of innovative product development partnerships (PDPs) for the development of drugs, vaccines, diagnostics and other technologies for diseases of poverty. Funding of £138 million for 2013-2018 was announced in August 2013 and includes support for the TB Alliance, the International AIDS vaccine Initiative and eight other PDPs (details of the awards were published in August 2013 and can be found at:<\/p>
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