Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Featherstone Excerpts

Wednesday 4th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab)]

7. What progress has been made on the most recent replenishment round for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Lynne Featherstone)]

I am pleased to say donors have pledged $12 billion, which is an impressive 30% increase on the amount that was pledged at the 2010 replenishment conference, demonstrating global confidence in the fund. The global fund provides excellent value for money and delivers life-saving results on a global scale.

[Nic Dakin]

Will the Government commit to funding TB REACH at a level that allows it to continue to resource the new interventions and projects that are desperately needed to fight TB and HIV effectively?

[Lynne Featherstone]

The significant increase in DFID’s contribution to the global fund to £1 billion will contribute to the scaling up of proven TB REACH programmes that are included in the national strategic planning process. We have reviewed the mid-term evaluation of TB REACH, which shows that it is effective and that it reaches very important populations. However, given that there are so many small projects, there are concerns about sustainability and about the ability to scale up. We will obviously keep that in mind.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

If left untreated, tuberculosis kills 50% of those with an active infection. Will the Minister ensure that as much funding as possible goes to the African and Asian countries where up to 80% of the population carry the latent tuberculin bacteria?

[Lynne Featherstone]

Yes, we are very keen to help the countries that have such a high burden. We are encouraging the global fund to change its remit to give more than 10% of the support to Nigeria. Interestingly, Nigeria pledged $1 billion to the global fund yesterday at the pledging conference. That is a tremendous move forward for that country.

[Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.