Overseas Aid

Debate between Baroness Northover and Lord Bishop of Worcester

Wednesday 12th February 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover]

Maybe I might answer by saying what we have done in Pakistan in terms of floods. The UK committed £134 million overall in aid for the 2010-11 Pakistan floods. The floods left 20 million people in need of serious assistance, including 2,000 dead; destroyed 1.7 million homes; and affected an area four times the size of Britain.

[The Lord Bishop of Worcester]

My Lords, the Minister has already referred to Pakistan. I was going to draw her attention to the Bangladeshi floods of 1998, which resulted in the loss of 30 million homes and cost the economy of that country 4.8% of its GDP. Does the Minister agree that the spending of money generally on countries which are affected terribly by climate change is both in our national interest and a moral responsibility?

[Baroness Northover]

The right reverend Prelate sums it up extremely effectively.