Ian Lavery debates involving the Cabinet Office during the 2019-2024 Parliament

Oral Answers to Questions

Ian Lavery Excerpts
Wednesday 15th July 2020

(4 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Answers are far too long, folks—we are going to have to move on.

Ian Lavery Portrait Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab)
- Hansard - -

How much of the funding the UK in response to the covid-19 pandemic has (a) been allocated to and (b) reached the global south.

Wendy Morton Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Wendy Morton)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The UK has pledged up to £769 million of UK aid to support the global health response and vulnerable countries. As the host of the record-breaking GAVI summit and the world’s top donor to CEPI, the UK is leading the way in finding a vaccine that helps the most vulnerable countries. We have also made sure that new funding goes directly to the immediate response in these countries, and reflects programmes already in place to help people straight away.

Ian Lavery Portrait Ian Lavery [V]
- Hansard - -

As of last week, the Government had given less than half of the money that is committed to support the world’s poorest in the face of this devastating global pandemic. It really is not good enough. Have the Government simply outsourced the responsibility to the various multilaterals? Does the Minister have any idea whatsoever of where UK taxpayers’ money has actually gone?

Wendy Morton Portrait Wendy Morton
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

As I explained, the UK is playing a leading role in the international response to the pandemic, with pledges of up to £769 million of UK aid to help to address the urgent needs in vulnerable countries through research and development, through money to the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust and in supporting the global health response. We are working with the UN to ensure that our contributions are channelled to NGOs and other recipients as quickly as possible.