Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Protection of Civilians Reports for the Occupied Palestinian Territory for 2022, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart about of the number of children reportedly injured by Israeli forces.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We regularly raise the issue of the numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We will continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with UN OCHA on the number of Palestinian children reportedly (a) killed and (b) critically injured by Israeli forces using live ammunition in the West Bank in 2022.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We regularly raise the issue of the numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We will continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to help ensure British research and technical experience in tackling (a) malaria and (b) other global diseases is deployed in countries where those diseases are endemic.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is a global leader in research on tackling malaria and other global diseases, with wide-ranging expertise across the UK academic, public and private sectors. For example, the world's first World Health Organisation approved malaria vaccine was developed by a British company, GlaxoSmithKline, and the new R21 malaria vaccine has been developed by Oxford University's Jenner Institute.
The Government continues to support the deployment of UK expertise though further investments in research and development. This includes the University of Oxford and the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit's trial on a new combination therapy for drug-resistant malaria, and the Innovative Vector Control Consortium, established by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, including their novel class of bed-nets which kill mosquitoes resistant to traditional insecticides.
The UK also provides support to multilateral institutions such as GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to deliver life-saving interventions to disease-endemic countries.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria at increasing global preparedness for pandemic.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Global Fund is a high performing organisation that has saved 50 million lives to date. The UK is the organisation's third largest donor historically, investing £4.4 billion since 2002. The Global Fund responded quickly and effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic by establishing the COVID-19 Response Mechanism. This mechanism has raised over $4.3 billion to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on programs to fight HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, and work with national response plans to support urgent improvements in health and community systems. The UK allocated an additional £60 million to the mechanism this year to support diagnostic and oxygen supplies. As an active member of the Global Fund Board that plays a key role in assessing the Global Fund's effectiveness, the UK will continue to support the Global Fund to define its evolving role in Pandemic Preparedness and Response within its new 2023-2028 strategy.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make a comparative assessment of the rate of return on health for each pound spent on (a) contributing to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and (b) bilateral programming.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is known world-wide for the emphasis we put on ensuing maximum value for money and return on investment for the Official Development Assistance we invest. The Global Fund is frequently assessed by the UK and others as providing excellent value for money, delivering health best buys and ensuring that interventions reach the most vulnerable. Further information outlining the return on investment for the Global Fund is available at https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/fight-for-what-counts/ The UK's multilateral and bilateral programmes are complementary. The UK's approach to bilateral programmes and the benefits this offers the UK and partner countries is set out in the International Development Strategy at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-governments-strategy-for-international-development
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help tackle malaria after the impact of the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK continues to monitor the impact that COVID-19 has had on efforts against malaria, with last year's World Malaria Report recording the first significant increase in malaria deaths in over two decades - up by 69,000 - and a 14 million increase in the number of malaria cases. The majority of our malaria investments are through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The UK continues to be a strong supporter of the Global Fund, having donated over £4.4 billion to date, and we will be announcing our support to the seventh replenishment in the coming weeks. In addition to this we will continue to invest in research to develop new tools to prevent, diagnose and treat malaria and in bilateral programmes to support malaria endemic countries to strengthen their health systems.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria on global health systems strengthening.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Global Fund takes a country-led approach, consistent with the approach to patient development set out in the International Development Strategy. They are the main multilateral grant funder of health systems investing $1 billion annually, strategically aligned with our Health Systems Strengthening position paper. Their new strategy sets out an ambitious role in continuing the organisation's support and strengthening health systems and in pandemic preparedness.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria on the health of women and girls in high-burden countries.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Global Fund's new strategy places a high priority on women and girls; 60 percent of the Global Fund's spending is specifically targeted on programmes for women and girls and about one-third of Global Fund investments directly benefits Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Our investments in the Global Fund have been critical for delivering our manifesto commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children by 2030, with malaria predominantly killing pregnant women and children under five and women with HIV having some of the highest maternal death rates.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to publish the Government's decision on the UK’s contribution to the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Answered by Vicky Ford
At the seventh replenishment pledging conference the UK committed to remain a strong supporter of the Global Fund. We look forward to announcing the UK's pledge to the Global Fund's seventh replenishment in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Indian counterparts on the eligibility of UK citizens for an e-visa for India.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have raised our concern with the Government of India (GoI) about its e-visa services suspension for British nationals. It is for the GoI to determine the types and validity of the visas, and services it offers. However, we will continue to work closely with the GoI on this issue and update the India Travel Advice with the latest information on any changes to India's visa rules.