Borrowing can be an important tool to enable developing countries to make the productive investments that they need to make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. However, repayments on excessive debt levels can crowd out other vital areas of public spending. The UK supports the IMF and World Bank\u2019s multi-pronged work programme to promote debt transparency and sustainability in low-income countries. This includes both engagement with borrowers to improve their debt management, and with creditors to help support sustainable lending practices and creditor coordination. The UK will continue to work with other G20 members to monitor progress on this, as well as on the initiative led by the Institute of International Finance to improve the transparency of lending of private creditors, and steps being taken to improve official creditor mechanisms through the on-going implementation of the G20 Operational Guidelines for Sustainable Financing.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-30T17:41:25.067Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Developing Countries: Debts"} , "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 steps she is taking to help ensure developing country debt repayments do not undermine poverty reducing public spending and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4651", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Carden"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Liverpool, Walton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Carden"} ], "uin" : "211938"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046775", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046775/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK has a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and robust controls against the diversion of aid to ensure that funds are used only for their intended purpose. These include due diligence assessments of our partners, mapping of funds through the delivery chain, regular programme monitoring and annual audits.<\/p>
<\/p>
DFID\u2019s programme Supporting Economic Empowerment and Development in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (SEED OPTs)<\/em> has several components, working on trade facilitation and customs, water and energy, and helping the PA and Israel to abide by their obligations under the Paris Protocol. Work with the Palestinian Authority in the water and energy sectors will be channelled through The World Bank Partnership for Infrastructure Development in the West Bank and Gaza Multi Donor Trust Fund. Through this framework, funds will flow from the trust fund to dedicated accounts that will be managed by the PA in accordance with rules established by the World Bank.<\/p> <\/p> Alongside a range of other safeguards, all components will be subject to financial audits. The terms of reference of the audits will vary depending on the component, however all independent financial audits provide assurance to DFID that the expenditure of funds will only be on agreed programme activities. The overall DFID OPTs portfolio is also subject to the regular audit cycle of DFID\u2019s Internal Audit Department and the National Audit Office.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-28T17:39:42.683Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Palestinians: Overseas Aid"}
, "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, with reference to the business case for her Department's Programme 300667 entitled Supporting Economic Empowerment and Development in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the statement by PwC that it was not required to consider whether funds had been transferred to persons implicated in terrorism, whether she plans to alter the terms of engagement for the auditors of this programme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/166", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Joan Ryan"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Enfield North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Joan Ryan"}
], "uin" : "211626"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046860", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046860/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As at 31 December 2018, 6 civil servants in my Department have voluntary declared their religious group as being Sikh.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-30T17:42:46.457Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for International Development: Sikhs"}
, "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 Sikhs are employed in her Department; and whether they are recorded as (a) an ethnic or (b) a religious group.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4603", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Edgbaston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Preet Kaur Gill"}
], "uin" : "211846"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046909", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046909/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK Government is concerned by allegations of incitement in the Palestinian Authority (PA) curriculum, and Minister of State Alistair Burt raised these issues with the PA Minister for Education again, on 21 January 2019. The PA Minister confirmed that he was willing to take into account the findings of an expert textbook review. This review remains a priority for DFID and will be completed by September 2019.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-28T17:41:06.627Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Palestinians: Schools"}
, "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, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2019 to Question 209284 on Palestinians: Schools, and with reference to the meeting between the Minister of State and the Palestinian Authority (PA) Minister for Education in the week beginning 21 January, what steps the PA Minister plans to take to address UK Government concerns on the Palestinian curriculum.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/166", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Joan Ryan"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Enfield North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Joan Ryan"}
], "uin" : "211628"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046927", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046927/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The number of Civil Servants in DFID that were working on Government Major Programmes in June 2016 and December 2018 are as follows;<\/p> June 2016: 6 Full-time and 2 Part-time.<\/p> December 2018: 4 Full-time and 4 Part-time.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1201", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alistair Burt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Bedfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alistair Burt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-30T17:44:14.917Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for International Development: Civil Servants"}
, "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, pursuant to the corrected Answer of 22 January 2019 to Question 206251, how many civil servants in her Department were working part or full-time on projects in the Government Major Projects Portfolio in (a) June 2016 and (b) December 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jon Trickett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemsworth"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jon Trickett"}
], "uin" : "211649"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046971", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1046971/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The London Initiative will aim to boost sustainable and inclusive business-led economic growth in Jordan. A core strand of the Initiative and its implementation will focus on reforms to increase workforce participation for all, particularly from women, youth and refugees.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1201", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alistair Burt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Bedfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alistair Burt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "211721"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-30T17:40:22.927Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Jordan: Refugees"}
, "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, whether time has been allocated on the agenda of the 2019 London Initiative on 28 February 2019 to highlight barriers to economic participation for refugees living in Jordan.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4120", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kate Green"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stretford and Urmston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kate Green"}
], "uin" : "211720"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1045873", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1045873/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Departmental budgets are allocated, through the Spending Review, against Single Departmental Plans. Each Department is responsible for supporting, resourcing, and reporting against achievement of the SDGs, as appropriate to its mandate. The UK\u2019s upcoming Voluntary National Review will provide a snapshot of the UK\u2019s contribution to Global Goal 5, both domestically and internationally, and will be underpinned by data to ensure that it is robust and credible. The UK played an instrumental role in advocating for the inclusion of Goal 5 in the Sustainable Development Goals and is a world leader in supporting international progress against the targets under this Goal.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-28T17:42:44.047Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Females: Equality"}
, "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 additional (a) funding and (b) staff resources the Government has provided to each Department to enable them to implement Sustainable Development Goal 5.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4603", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Edgbaston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Preet Kaur Gill"}
], "uin" : "211323"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1045874", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1045874/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government has embedded the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Single Departmental Plans and is working to produce a strong Voluntary National Review, which will be presented to the UN in July this year. The Voluntary National Review will take stock of the UK\u2019s domestic and international progress in delivering the SDGs. All Government Departments have nominated an \u2018SDG Champion\u2019 at Director level whose responsibility it is to promote the SDGs and the Voluntary National Review in their department.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-28T17:43:03.297Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Government Departments: Sustainable Development"}
, "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 steps she is taking to monitor progress of Government Departments in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4603", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Edgbaston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Preet Kaur Gill"}
], "uin" : "211324"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1045975", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1045975/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This information is not available. It is however possible to model, for illustrative purposes, the number of abortions prevented by improved access to family planning specifically. Between April 2017 and March 2018, we estimate UK aid reached at least 14 million total women and girls with family planning, preventing 1.2 million unsafe abortions.<\/p>