Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total value of their support to disabled people in developing countries.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK’s global leadership and commitment to disability inclusive development has been increasing. Through the Sustainable Development Goals, the promise to Leave No One Behind, and DFID’s Disability Framework, we have committed to promoting disability-inclusive international development through a twin-track approach. This means that, guided by our Framework, we aim to mainstream disability in all of our policies and programmes as well as supporting programmes that target disability specifically.
We do not currently track spend on disability inclusion, but a review of progress in December last year told us that we are doing more to support people with disabilities than ever before. Key disability-specific programming includes funding to important partners such as ADD International and the Disability Rights Fund, and Bridging the Gap - a research project to identify gaps between disability policy formulation and implementation. But people with disabilities also directly benefit from spending across our geographic and thematic portfolios. To make it increasingly possible to determine if programmes are reaching and successfully serving people with disabilities globally, the international development system must get better at disaggregating data by disability status. In response, DFID has produced guidance to inform programmes and policies.
Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they provide to deaf people in developing countries.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
People with disabilities are the largest minority group globally. An estimated one billion people have a disability globally, 80% of whom live in developing countries. People with disabilities are often the poorest in their community and many face considerable levels of stigma, discrimination and persecution.
DFID follows a ‘twin-track’ approach to disability inclusion. This means we aim to attach priority to disability in all our policies and programmes as well as supporting disability-targeted programmes.
Over the last two years, DFID has strengthened our capacity to work on disability inclusion, including by appointing a director-level champion, employing three full-time staff to work solely on disability, and developing a group of Internal Disability Expert Advisers from across our organisation.
DFID’s efforts to date have included:
For example, two projects in the UK’s flagship Girls Education Challenge are exclusively focused on addressing the issue that girls with disabilities are less likely to access education. Specific interventions include provision of assistive devices and scholastic materials for girls with hearing impairments and improvement of teacher skills to enable them to communicate in sign language, which has encouraged parents to enrol their children in schools.
Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specific support they provide to deaf children in developing countries.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
People with disabilities are the largest minority group globally. An estimated one billion people have a disability globally, 80% of whom live in developing countries. People with disabilities are often the poorest in their community and many face considerable levels of stigma, discrimination and persecution.
DFID follows a ‘twin-track’ approach to disability inclusion. This means we aim to attach priority to disability in all our policies and programmes as well as supporting disability-targeted programmes.
Over the last two years, DFID has strengthened our capacity to work on disability inclusion, including by appointing a director-level champion, employing three full-time staff to work solely on disability, and developing a group of Internal Disability Expert Advisers from across our organisation.
DFID’s efforts to date have included:
For example, two projects in the UK’s flagship Girls Education Challenge are exclusively focused on addressing the issue that girls with disabilities are less likely to access education. Specific interventions include provision of assistive devices and scholastic materials for girls with hearing impairments and improvement of teacher skills to enable them to communicate in sign language, which has encouraged parents to enrol their children in schools.
Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the total contribution in the form of Official Development Assistance that the UK plans to provide to India for (1) the current financial year, and (2) each of the following three years.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
For the current financial year, DFID has committed to spend £30 million through technical assistance and £40 million through returnable capital investment. Figures for ODA to India from other Government Departments will be available at the end of the period. UK ODA to India for outer years has not yet been agreed by Ministers.
Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes, if any, they are seeking to the OECD Development Assistance Committee guidelines on official development assistance.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
As one of just a few donors to have met the 0.7% commitment, the credibility of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) system is of significant importance to the UK. The government is working closely with other countries to modernise the definition of ODA at the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), to ensure it reflects the breadth of the new international development agenda set by the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development, and fully incentivises other countries to meet these goals.
Asked by: Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider re-opening a bilateral development programme in Burundi, in the light of recent violence in that country.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The UK Government is extremely concerned by the ongoing political unrest in Burundi, and its humanitarian consequences, including the flow of Burundian refugees to neighbouring countries.
DFID offices across the region, including in Tanzania, DRC, Rwanda and Uganda, are working closely to monitor the situation, review preparedness activities and provide humanitarian support. £18.15 million has been committed by DFID for refugee response in the region through UN agencies, such as UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP, and international NGOs. This funding includes £14.25 million to support refugees in Tanzania, and £3.9 million to support refugees in Rwanda. We are staying in close contact with the UN system about future funding needs. Additionally, DFID is working closely with the FCO to coordinate HMG’s response, and international partners such as the EU on Article 96 discussions, to ensure that humanitarian assistance continues to reach those in need.
DFID is monitoring the situation closely and may consider additional funding. DFID has deployed a Humanitarian Advisor to the region in support of the response and to monitor funding provided so far.
DFID is currently undertaking a Bilateral Aid Review, but there are no plans to reopen the DFID office in Burundi.