Covid-19 Update

Debate between Baroness Evans of Bowes Park and Baroness Sheehan

Thursday 13th May 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Con)]

No, I have not seen the video.

[Baroness Sheehan (LD)]

My Lords, the only way to make ourselves safe is to make everyone safe. This means that the whole world must have access to Covid vaccines. The Biden Administration accept this logic and are supporting the TRIPS waiver proposal to the WTO for the temporary suspension of IP rights and other barriers to allow all countries—rich and poor—to produce their own vaccines. Can I ask the noble Baroness the Leader of the House whether the US has sought our support? If so, what response did it receive?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Con)]

All I can say to the noble Baroness is that we are in discussions with the US and WTO members to facilitate increased production and supply of Covid vaccines. There are other issues—for instance, licensing agreements—which can also boost production. We are in discussions about a range of things that we hope might be able to make a difference.

Global Britain

Debate between Baroness Evans of Bowes Park and Baroness Sheehan

Thursday 18th June 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I said in answer to the noble Baroness that there will be no compulsory redundancies, although some roles and responsibilities will change. There are certainly no plans to close the DfID office in Scotland, where staff play a vital role in ensuring that UK aid delivers results for the world’s poorest. The opportunity to work at Abercrombie House in East Kilbride will be open to staff from across the reconfigured department. We will be working closely with staff as the programme goes ahead and the two departments merge, to ensure that we get the best out of the fantastic people who work in both departments.

[Baroness Sheehan (LD) [V]]

My Lords, DfID is held in high regard, in large part due to its openness and accountability—the result of a carefully constructed governance structure, at the heart of which sits the International Development Committee and ICAI. Will the Leader, in Cabinet, argue to retain that crucial oversight of how 0.7% of taxpayers’ money is spent, especially when it comes to the prioritisation process currently under way? Otherwise, this is nothing more than a cynical move by a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

As I said in a previous answer, I am very happy to say on the record, again, that we absolutely recognise that programmes funded by UK aid are consistently rated as some of the most transparent and effective in the world, and we want to bring that expertise to the heart of the new department. We remain of course absolutely committed to full transparency in our aid spending, and there will continue to be independent and parliamentary scrutiny of the aid budget.