Syrian Refugees: Food Aid

Debate between Lord Foulkes of Cumnock and Baroness Northover

Tuesday 2nd December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover]

The noble Lord is absolutely right.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness has not answered adequately the question raised by my noble friend Lady Lister and the noble Lord, Lord Avebury. She has dealt with the question of humanitarian assistance and with the political situation in Syria, which, as my noble friend just said, will last for some time, but she has not dealt with the question of those seeking asylum. As my noble friend Lady Lister said, we have been asked to take substantially more refugees, but we are very reluctant to take them and we are taking far fewer than other European countries. The noble Baroness is answering on behalf of the Government. Will she go back to the Home Office and her other colleagues and say that this House wants more sympathetic consideration for those people from Syria seeking asylum?

[Baroness Northover]

As the noble Lord will know, asylum claims are judged across the board fairly and squarely. As I mentioned in my earlier answer to the noble Baroness, Lady Lister, the United Kingdom is contributing disproportionately in supporting those in the region—way above many of our colleagues in Europe and internationally. I said in my reply to my noble friend Lord Avebury that I would take the comments back to my colleagues.

Women: Board Membership

Debate between Lord Foulkes of Cumnock and Baroness Northover

Monday 10th March 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover]

What can I possibly say?

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab)]

My Lords, following up on that excellent question, can I commend the Minister for her excellent answers to all the questions today? Does that not show up that the two people who also need a pincer movement are Clegg and Cameron?

[Baroness Northover]

Again, I could not possibly comment.

Developing Countries: Budgetary Support

Debate between Lord Foulkes of Cumnock and Baroness Northover

Wednesday 15th May 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover]

Parliamentarians clearly play a major role, or need to. My noble friend will know that in terms of the UK partnership principles, the third one is:

“Improving public financial management, promoting good governance and transparency and fighting corruption”.

Parliamentarians play a key role in making sure that those things are delivered.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

Is the Minister aware that not only is Haiti the poorest country in the new world but that it has suffered from earthquakes and, more recently, hurricanes? Why is there no direct bilateral assistance from the UK Government to Haiti?

[Baroness Northover]

The United Kingdom cannot assist in every part of the world, and the French have played a leading role in Haiti. The United Kingdom works out where best to focus its aid, as did the noble Lord’s Government, and we assess that through the bilateral review. However, as he will know, through our multilateral obligations and indirectly through multilateral organisations we support work in Haiti.

Developing Countries: Free and Fair Elections

Debate between Lord Foulkes of Cumnock and Baroness Northover

Thursday 26th January 2012 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover]

One has to bear in mind the interests of all involved. It is striking that none of the observation missions—again, I make reference to the one that noble Lord, Lord McConnell, was on—judged that the overall result of the presidential election would have been changed by the irregularities that have been flagged up. However, it is clearly essential that the DRC electoral commission takes the necessary steps to investigate and address all reported irregularities.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

Will the Minister join me in commending the work of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in promoting free and fair elections? I declare an interest as one of the Labour governors of the WFD. She will be aware that the foundation has put forward a business plan to the Department for International Development so that we can develop our work in the Middle East, north Africa and in other parts of Africa. We are still awaiting—for some time now—a response from DfID. Can she give an assurance that it will come in the very near future?

[Baroness Northover]

As the noble Lord clearly knows, the department is discussing with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which has done excellent work right across the world, how to take forward the work that DfID wants to encourage in supporting elections and everything that goes into making those elections work. That includes making sure that civil society is developed, that political parties are encouraged and that there is some basis on which these elections can work more effectively.

Equality: World Bank

Debate between Lord Foulkes of Cumnock and Baroness Northover

Monday 17th October 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover]

This report is extremely interesting in that it makes the economic case for gender equality, which is extremely important. It is therefore a very useful tool for UN Women in its overarching approach to what the UN is doing worldwide. I would expect that UN Women would find this to be a useful tool. It is not just a matter of justice, but of the economic significance of gender inequality in terms of development. The noble Baroness also asked about education. It is absolutely vital not just to get girls into school but to get them through school, and she is certainly right that ensuring the teaching is there is absolutely vital.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

My Lords, I commend the work of David Mitchell, the Secretary of State for International Development—

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

I am sorry, it is Andrew Mitchell—who I know well, of course! He will never forgive me for that—who is doing an excellent job as Secretary of State for International Development, particularly in following on the Labour Government’s initiative to increase expenditure year on year and rejecting the pleas from the right wing of the Conservative Party to reduce expenditure. Will the Minister give an absolute assurance that that policy will continue?

[Baroness Northover]

I will certainly pass on that message to David—or Andrew—Mitchell and say how much you congratulate him on his personal efforts. Indeed, I pay due credit to the previous Government. We remain extremely committed to international development and will be implementing the 0.7 per cent of GDP target by 2013. That is an absolute commitment.