Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress have they made in promoting sustainable fishing in developing countries.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Department for International Development’s (DFID) portfolio of commercial agriculture programmes includes support which helps promote the development of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in developing countries. For example, the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) programme in Myanmar promotes community management of wild fisheries. Poor households have better maintained their fish stocks, and adopted new marketing practices, which has helped improve their income and food and nutrition security. The new DFID Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness programme will provide technical assistance to small local businesses working in the aquaculture sector in Malawi and will work with investors to promote responsible investment in this sector. DFID is also supporting sustainable small-scale aquaculture, and our support has contributed to improving the fish-based livelihoods of 51,235 households and 72,264 people.
As part of our cross-Government commitment to protecting the global environment, DFID has provided £150 million and DEFRA £100 million funding to the Global Environment Facility 7th replenishment (2018-2022), which includes support for small island developing states in managing their marine territories. We also provide a core contribution to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which supports countries in sustainable fisheries management. Progress is reported in the FAO’s flagship State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are they taking alongside international partners to promote the Sustainable Development Goals.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government is firmly committed to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are embedded in the UK Aid Strategy and DFID’s Single Departmental Plan which is now modelled around the 5Ps of People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnerships.
The first Voluntary National Review (VNR) of UK progress towards the SDGs, published in June and presented to the UN in July, highlights the range of activities the Government and a wide variety of partners are undertaking to deliver the Goals at home and abroad. In preparing the Review, the Government participated in 35 engagement events, consulted over 350 organisations and received 270 case studies. The Government has also sought the views of over 6,000 members of the public on investing in the SDGs.
The UK’s support for international development is our major contribution to delivering the Goals abroad and entails close cooperation and coordination with other bilateral partners and numerous multilateral organisations. Activities include support for health and education, peace and security and climate action.
There is still more to be done. The SDG Summit at the UN General Assembly in September will be an important global moment for the UK and partners to further promote the Goals, and reaffirm their commitment to delivering them.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding that since the introduction of the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act over 178,000 people have opted out of organ donation.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
A consultation impact assessment, Consultation on an opt-out system of organ and tissue donation, has been published as part of the Government’s public consultation. A copy is attached. This suggests that, when introduced as part of a wider communication and logistical package, opt out systems of consent can be associated with higher donation rates. Important evidence continues to become available from the Welsh Government on impact of the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013, including that a longer period of time is needed to draw firmer conclusions on the impact of the change in the law. The Department invites further evidence to be submitted on factors not considered in the consultation analysis. These will be carefully considered before the Government’s final response to the consultation.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Welsh Government's Evaluation of the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act which found that after the change in organ donation law in Wales the quarterly mean average of organ donation fell from 14.6 to 13.4.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
A consultation impact assessment, Consultation on an opt-out system of organ and tissue donation, has been published as part of the Government’s public consultation. A copy is attached. This suggests that, when introduced as part of a wider communication and logistical package, opt out systems of consent can be associated with higher donation rates. Important evidence continues to become available from the Welsh Government on impact of the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013, including that a longer period of time is needed to draw firmer conclusions on the impact of the change in the law. The Department invites further evidence to be submitted on factors not considered in the consultation analysis. These will be carefully considered before the Government’s final response to the consultation.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they have taken since 2011, and are now taking, to resolve the conflict in South Sudan.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK has, and continues to maintain, a prominent role in the peace process in South Sudan. Since conflict broke out in 2013 we, along with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and our Troika (US and Norway) partners, have provided substantial political, technical and financial support to both the peace talks and the implementation of the August peace agreement.
Following the latest outbreak of violence in Juba, our immediate efforts are focused on the stabilisation of the country. We remain firmly committed to the people of South Sudan and call on the leaders to re-establish the peace process as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the political situation in South Sudan in the light of inter-tribal conflict between supporters of President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Following recent fighting, the political situation in South Sudan remains tense. We continue to call on the leaders to demonstrate their commitment to the peace agreement and re-establish the peace process as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking, as part of the troika, to persuade opposition movements in Sudan to sign the African Union’s Roadmap for Peace, and to encourage the government of Sudan’s commitment to it.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Together with our Troika partners, we issued a statement on 27 May supporting the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel. We welcome the Sudanese Government’s signing of the roadmap agreement and continue to urge the opposition to do the same. The UK’s Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan and our Ambassador in Khartoum are in regular contact with the government and opposition groups.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure a positive and constructive role for Sudan as part of the Khartoum Process.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK is engaging with the Sudanese Government to tackle the full range of migration issues. As part of the Khartoum Process, we are discussing the challenges faced by all countries in the region, including the Sudan, and we welcome the constructive contribution they have made so far, in particular in hosting a meeting on smuggling and trafficking in May.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the ceasefire declarations by the government of Sudan and the rebel movements in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We welcome the Sudanese Government’s announcement of a cessation of hostilities for the Two Areas last month, and the opposition’s announcement in April. We are aware of recent allegations of breaches and our Ambassador in Khartoum raised this issue with the Chief of Staff for the Sudanese Armed Forces on 18 July who reiterated the government’s commitment to upholding the cessation of hostilities. We continue to call on all sides to ensure the declarations are respected and allow full humanitarian access.
Asked by: Lord Sheikh (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the positive contributions made by Sudan, particularly in regard to combatting terrorism and radicalisation.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
As part of the strategic dialogue with Sudan, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Africa Director Neil Wigan visited Khartoum in March to discuss a range of issues, including tackling extremism. We welcome the Sudanese Government's interest in cooperating on such issues of mutual concern.