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1197985

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether (a) she or (b) the Home Secretary will have final sign off on spending proposed by the Home Office Director of Official Development Assistance.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
uin	52011
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>Official Development Assistance is subject to the same rules as all public expenditure. In line with HMT’s Managing Public Money guidance, the Home Secretary and her accounting officer hold financial responsibility and accountability to Parliament and UK taxpayers for their ODA spend.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 04/06/2020 15:37:27 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty

1198059

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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: Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she plans to introduce a stabilisation fund for international non-governmental organisations to continue to deliver aid to people living in extreme poverty in the global south.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52321
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>Civil society organisations (CSOs) are key partners for DFID in our response to COVID-19 and we have pledged new funding specifically for CSOs to support our work to tackle the virus. This includes funding allocated through the Rapid Response Facility and significant funding through the DFID Unilever COVID-19 Hygiene and Behaviour Change Coalition. A new UK Aid Direct funding round has also been launched, some of which has been set aside for rapid access by existing UK Aid Direct grant holders who are able to respond immediately to COVID-19. In addition, International Non-Government Organisations will receive funding through multilateral organisations as downstream partners as part of the UK’s response. As DFID’s country network adapts programming to respond to COVID-19, country teams are considering how they can do this through partners, including through CSOs.</p><p>We are working flexibly with existing civil society partners to respond to the pandemic, maintain delivery of essential programmes and manage the impacts on organisations and staff. DFID is also offering support to all suppliers, including civil society, in line with the provisions of the Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Note and associated guidance for grants. This allows for relief on services and goods provided in the UK, to DFID aid programmes as a last resort and on a case-by-case basis for DFID contracts and grants. UK-based CSOs are also eligible for the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.</p><p>NGOs are fundamental parts of DFID’s work. Given DFID’s support for them runs so deeply through everything we do, there is no plan to create a specific fund.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 08/06/2020 16:01:59 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198123

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	World Health Organization: Intellectual Property
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether it is the Government's policy to support calls for research projects funded through the COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to be subject to mandatory inclusion into the World Health Organisation COVID-19 Intellectual Property Pool.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	52017
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK has welcomed the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator since its launch on 24 April 2020. We look forward to further engagement with this collaborative arrangement and continue to support the work done under the ACT Accelerator to develop new vaccines, treatments and tests, and to accelerate global access to these essential health technologies for everyone. We are engaging with our international partners on the best ways to support equitable and affordable access to new innovations, and the UK is committed to collaborating with public and private partners in the UK and internationally. This includes exploring voluntary arrangements and approaches such as non-exclusive voluntary licensing, which promote affordable access for all while also providing incentives to create new inventions. We believe that a voluntary approach to intellectual property has advantages over mandatory approaches, and creates a sounder basis for long-lasting, beneficial relationships, and incentives to create new innovations.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 04/06/2020 15:32:54 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1198124

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	World Health Organization: Intellectual Property
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, following the World Health Assembly and pre-launch of the World Health Organisation (WHO) COVID-19 Intellectual Property Pool, whether the Government plans to support the WHO to establish an effective global pool of rights for Covid-19 health technologies.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	52018
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK believes that a robust and fair intellectual property system is a key part of the innovation framework that allows economies to grow, while enabling society to benefit from knowledge and ideas. We have long supported affordable and equitable access to essential medicines, including in low and middle-income countries. We are committed to collaborating with public and private partners in the UK and internationally. This includes exploring voluntary arrangements and approaches that promote affordable access for all while also providing incentives to create new inventions, to accelerate development and equitable access in all countries and to ensure affordable health technologies for responding to COVID-19. There are a number of existing mechanisms that facilitate pooling and sharing intellectual property that could be expanded to cover COVID-19, such as the Medicines Patent Pool, which have the potential to provide a more efficient way forward than creating new mechanisms.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 04/06/2020 15:33:42 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1198150

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	World Health Organization: Finance
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 representatives of the World Health Organisation on future core voluntary contributions from the UK.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK’s funding for WHO is based on our assessment of the organisation’s needs. The scale and timing of future core voluntary contributions will be considered as part of this assessment.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 08/06/2020 16:02:25 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198151

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Asia and Caribbean: Development Aid
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 support the plans of governments of Caribbean and Asian for the forthcoming monsoon and hurricane seasons.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52323
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>In the Caribbean, DFID works with Governments of the Overseas Territories and the Commonwealth Caribbean as well as regional organisations to strengthen hurricane preparedness. This includes: provision for rapid funding to finance regional disaster surge response through the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, and the establishing of the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), an insurance mechanism which makes pay-outs to Caribbean national Governments when they are impacted by a disaster. In addition, humanitarian relief items have been pre-positioned in the region.</p><p>In Asia, DFID works with partner Governments - including countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar – to support existing preparedness operations, including for cyclone and monsoon seasons. For example, DFID funds the START Fund, which is set up to respond quickly to emerging crises like severe weather events and aims to preposition stocks and bolster existing crises mechanisms. In response to the recent cyclone Amphan, £800,000 was rapidly released to NGOs from START Fund Bangladesh to provide water, health, food, non-food items and shelter, as well as UN-led humanitarian Coordination.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 08/06/2020 16:03:02 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198152

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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: Coronavirus
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 help support communities manage social tensions caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52324
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>In many countries with weak governance or ongoing conflict, COVID-19 risks raising social tensions, reducing respect for human rights and, in some contexts, may pose challenges to peace processes. Higher levels of instability create obstacles to an effective response, for example limiting humanitarian access, and may pose risks to UK national security.</p><p>DFID is committed to ensuring that, through all channels of support, our assistance reaches the most marginalized and vulnerable. We are taking steps to ensure that both our immediate responses to COVID-19 and long-term recovery efforts do not exacerbate conflict and instead help to build peace and improve governance. We are encouraging our implementing partners to demonstrate accountability, strengthen local owner- and leadership and adopt inclusive, conflict sensitive approaches. We are also working with partners, governments, media providers, civil society and local community and faith leaders to counter misinformation.</p><p>As pledged in our manifesto, this Government will continue to support international initiatives to achieve reconciliation, stability and justice across the world.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 08/06/2020 16:03:33 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198153

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Non-governmental Organisations: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to increase the levels of funding for (a) large and (b) small and medium non governmental organisations.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52325
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>NGOs of all sizes are key policy and delivery partners for DFID and we are committed to working with the sector to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19. In country we estimate that around a quarter of existing DFID programmes are implemented directly through NGOs partners. Many NGOs will also receive funding as part of DFID’s significant investment in the multilateral response to COVID-19.</p><p>The Chancellor has set out the risk that the UK economy will face a significant recession this year. All government departments are working through how their plans will need to change in the light of this. DFID is no exception. The Government’s 0.7% GNI target is directly linked to the performance of the UK economy and we need to prepare for this by prioritising our lifesaving aid. No decision has been taken yet, but we are considering the full range of our work.</p><p>However, we expect NGOs will in many cases receive additional funding through new centrally-managed programmes and funding mechanisms: including through the Rapid Response Facility, a COVID-19 themed UK Aid Direct round, DFID’s new partnership with Unilever, the START Fund, and a possible contribution to a Disasters and Emergency Committee appeal.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 08/06/2020 16:04:01 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198298

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Developing Countries: Bank Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's press release, UK calls for global action to protect vital money transfers, published on 22 May 2020, what recent steps her Department has taken to make it easier for diaspora communities in the UK and other countries to continue to transfer money to their relatives during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52330
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>Previous DFID support is already helping to make money transfers easier, by helping 65 million people in the poorest countries access digital financial services so they can receive funds – including from diaspora communities in the UK – via their mobile phones or online. DFID support is also helping to give 2 million more people access to digital remittance services so that they can send and receive money from home.</p><p>In the crisis, the UK Government has made it clear that in the UK people can continue to visit money transfer businesses should they need to, while observing social distancing and staying safe.</p><p>And as referenced in the question, the UK has launched – along with Switzerland, and with support from the World Bank and UN agencies – a global Call to Action on remittances, which calls on policymakers, regulators and remittance service providers round the world to take action to ensure that diaspora communities can continue to transfer money to their relatives during the crisis.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 04/06/2020 15:30:50 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1198299

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Bank Services: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's press release, UK calls for global action to protect vital money transfers, published on 22 May 2020, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that remittance service providers reduce fees for people making payments during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	52331
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK has launched, along with Switzerland and with support from the World Bank and UN agencies, a global Call to Action on remittances, which calls on policymakers, regulators and remittance service providers round the world to take action to ensure that diaspora communities can continue to transfer money to their relatives during the crisis.</p><p>This Call to Action specifically calls on remittance service providers to explore measures such as reducing remittance transaction costs. We are committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals target of reducing the global average costs of remittances to 3% by 2030, from the current level of around 6.8%.</p><p>The World Bank is conducting regular surveys of remittance costs in a number of corridors during the crisis. These surveys show that for most of the corridors surveyed that start in the UK, remittance costs are lower now than before the crisis.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 08/06/2020 15:49:55 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill