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1109557

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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: Shanty Towns
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when their officials working in Pakistan last visited the shanty towns on the periphery of Islamabad to report on the conditions in which the residents live; and whether they are collecting data on the percentage of people from Pakistan’s minorities living in such areas.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL15026
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2019 answer text <p>UK aid prioritises support for the poorest and most excluded people and communities in Pakistan. Thus, whilst we recognise that there are poor people living in Islamabad, UK aid is focussed in the provinces with the highest number of poor people and on strengthening capacity of those provinces to deliver basic services to their populations.</p><p> </p><p>DFID strive to visit as many programme locations as possible to gather feedback from communities, including minority communities. DFID Pakistan also has projects that work directly with minorities and aims to tackle the drivers underpinning intolerance and discrimination, through promoting greater understanding between communities.</p><p> </p><p>DFID Pakistan is striving to better disaggregate its results through a data disaggregation action plan which focuses on 4 key areas: sex, age, disability and geography. This will improve our understanding of those who benefit from our programmes. We do not currently have plans to collect data on religion as we recognise the risks associated with potentially revealing such sensitive information for religious minorities.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 16/04/2019 13:29:25 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1109558

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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: Minority Groups
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reconsider their policy of disregarding the status of Pakistan’s minorities in determining and allocating development aid.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL15027
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2019 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. Our investment will not only assist Pakistan to become a more prosperous country that will help millions of its citizens living in poverty, but will also improve stability and security in Pakistan, the region, and beyond.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 16/04/2019 13:54:05 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1109559

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
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: Shanty Towns
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any development funds are directed towards the rebuilding and provision of running water or electricity to Islamabad's shanty towns; and if not, why not.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL15028
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2019 answer text <p>The UK’s work in Pakistan is focused on peace and stability, making democracy work, jobs and growth and providing basic services.</p><p> </p><p>UK aid prioritises support for the poorest and most excluded people and communities in Pakistan, thus DFID Pakistan’s bilateral programmes focus on provinces with the highest numbers of poor people and on strengthening the capacity of those provinces to deliver basic services to their populations. This includes supporting the provision of electricity and engaging with the governments regarding adequate water provision.</p><p> </p><p>While we recognise that there are poor people living in Islamabad, without access to electricity or running water, they cannot be our focus. We expect the Islamabad Capital Development Authority to support them with support received at national level from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 16/04/2019 13:55:04 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1104639

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the spread of Ebola in North Kivu and of the response to that outbreak by the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the World Health Organisation.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL14764
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/04/2019 answer text <p>The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the largest in the country’s history and the second largest on record. The Government of the DRC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are together leading an effective response in an extremely challenging context with ongoing conflict. Despite some successes, the outbreak is not yet under control, and DFID teams continue to actively monitor and assess the situation.</p><p>UK Aid has played a crucial role in supporting the response since the outbreak was first announced in August 2018. This support has provided funding and expertise to the WHO for response activities in the DRC and for regional preparedness. Preventing the spread of the disease not only saves lives but also provides the stability necessary for economic growth and security.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 05/04/2019 13:09:35 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1090514

registered interest
date	18/03/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Internally Displaced People
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2017, published on 25 June 2018, which estimates that (1) on average, 44,400 people were forced to flee their homes each day, (2) 68.5 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, and (3) there were 40 million internally displaced people, in 2017 as a result of persecution, conflict, or generalised violence; and what steps they are taking to devise, encourage and promote international initiatives to tackle the root causes of current levels of mass migration.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL14611
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>UNHCR’s Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2017 is an important tool in informing our support for refugees and internally displaced persons around the world.</p><p> </p><p>At least half of DFID aid is focussed on fragile and conflict affected states and regions – the drivers of forced displacement. DFID’s aid programmes seek to address drivers of conflict, instability and lack of economic opportunities which in turn help to tackle some of the root causes of displacement. By creating jobs and livelihoods, improving education, and facilitating labour mobility we are giving people more opportunities to build a decent life at home or in their region.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Government has been actively involved in the development of the UN <em>Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration</em> and the <em>Global Compact on Refugees</em>, both of which have now been adopted. These two Compacts offer a cohesive and forward-leaning framework to improve the international response to large movements of people.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is also supporting the UN and member states to set up a High-Level Panel on internally displaced persons. The overarching goal of the Panel is to galvanise action to reduce the number of internally displaced persons, whilst providing more effective protection and assistance, and reinforcing the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 01/04/2019 15:43:06 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1087519

registered interest
date	12/03/2019
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: Public Sector
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Pakistan Annual Statistical Bulletin of Federal Government Employees 2017–18, published by the government of Pakistan on 26 February, what assessment they have made of (1) the number of people employed from that country’s religious minorities, (2) the nature of the occupations open to them, and (3) the numbers working in either menial jobs or senior management grades; and what assessment they have made of the impact that UK aid programmes have had on those statistics.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL14445
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>We have not conducted an assessment of the composition of federal government employees as reported in the Annual Statistical Bulletin of Federal Government Employees 2017–18. However, DFID and the FCO continue to raise the issue of human rights of minorities at the highest levels of government, including in our annual Bilateral Assistance Talks. We advocate greater tolerance and action against abuses when they occur. DFID Pakistan’s Skills Development Programme will provide 330,000 poor and vulnerable people, including those from minority communities, with technical and vocational training to improve their employment prospects.</p><p> </p><p>Our aid relationship with any government is based on an assessment of its commitment to our Partnership Principles, including to promote and safeguard human rights. Our aid targets the poor, regardless of race, religion, social background or nationality. Our portfolio of programmes contributes either directly or indirectly to the protection of minority rights by strengthening systems for delivery of services and by adopting a ‘do no harm’ approach.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 25/03/2019 16:10:50 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1078269

registered interest
date	26/02/2019
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: Overseas Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much aid they provided to Pakistan over the past year; and what proportion of this aid was used to support efforts to end child abduction, forced conversion and illegal marriages.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL14041
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>The UK provided £282m to Pakistan for the financial year 2018/19. Under the AAWAZ I programme (which ended in May 2018) around £400,000 was spent on preventing forced and early marriages. Some of these beneficiaries may also have been affected by forced conversion or child abduction. Under new programming, we plan to spend around £1.88 million in preventing early and forced marriages. This includes enactment of the policy and legislative framework and capacity building support of key government institutions.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 11/03/2019 17:28:07 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1078270

registered interest
date	26/02/2019
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: Overseas Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to divert aid given to Pakistan to training law enforcement officers in the emotional needs of the parents of kidnapped children, and in providing families with practical assistance.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL14042
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>HMG has no plans to use aid specifically to support families of kidnapped children in Pakistan. The UK is supporting the implementation of the 2018 Juvenile Justice System Act (JJSA) which will help protect the legal rights of juvenile victims, witnesses and alleged offenders. Part of this will include working with law enforcement officers and families.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 11/03/2019 17:28:26 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1064579

registered interest
date	20/02/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	South Sudan: Forced Marriage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations made in the report by Oxfam Born to Be Married: Addressing child, early and forced marriage in Nyal, South Sudan, published on 18 February, in particular the recommendation to integrate the prevention of, and response to, child, early, and forced marriage with women’s empowerment activities in humanitarian and development planning and programming at all stages of the programme cycle.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL13898
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>The UK welcomes Oxfam’s report into child, early and forced marriage (CEFM). The shocking number of girls married before the age of 18 in Nyal demonstrates how women and girls are suffering the worst effects of this brutal crisis.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>UK aid considers gender at all stages of the humanitarian and development programme cycle. Specifically, we support several efforts to integrate CEFM prevention and response, and women’s empowerment activities into our work. Education is a key factor enabling girls to avoid child marriage and our Girls Education South Sudan (GESS) programme is keeping up to a quarter of a million girls in school. We also work with International Medical Corps in Nyal and other areas of the country to improve awareness of CEFM and to provide women and girls with information on all forms of gender-based violence, rights and services available. The programme also engages women in income generating activities and provides support to help them set up their own businesses.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 04/03/2019 14:56:55 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1059612

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 12 February (HL13192), whether they will now answer the question put.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL13635
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 answer text <p>We have regular discussions about the importance of religious freedom and inclusion in all aspects of public policy, including employment, but we have not specifically raised the issue of the advertisements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are not aware of any cases of discrimination on the grounds of religion linked with programmes supported by DFID to create employment, including in the public sector. Our Partnership Agreement with the Government of Pakistan makes clear that commitment to human rights (including minority and religious rights) is vital and discrimination in the delivery of UK aid is not acceptable. Compliance with this and other key Partnership Principles is reviewed on an annual basis.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As mentioned in the previous answer, DFID Pakistan’s Skills Development Programme will provide 330,000 poor and vulnerable people, including those from minority communities, with technical and vocational training to improve their employment prospects.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 26/02/2019 17:20:33 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool