Asked by: Bob Ainsworth (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding her Department allocated to the Conflict Pool for South Asia in each of the last three years.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Conflict Pool is funded from an HM Treasury settlement which is separate from and additional to departmental budgets. Details of Conflict Pool allocations are provided to Parliament annually in a Written Ministerial Statement. The statements for Financial Years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 are available on the parliament.uk website.
A Statement giving details of Conflict Pool allocations for FY 2014/15 will be laid before the House shortly.
Asked by: Bob Ainsworth (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what programmes and projects her Department funds which aim to promote trade and transit between India and Pakistan.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Through the South Asia Regional Trade and Integration Programme, DFID is working with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to promote trade in the region. This includes support to modernise procedures and infrastructure at the Wagah border post between India and Pakistan (to reduce transit times and business costs), and to develop an electricity connection between the two countries.
In Pakistan, DFID is also supporting, through the World Bank, the development of a regional trade strategy with India, advice to small and medium enterprises on cross-border trading, and innovative youth programmes aimed at reducing trade barriers between Pakistan and India.
Finally, the tri-departmental Conflict Pool is providing support to increase cooperation and dialogue between the Governments and the public and private sectors of both countries on trade liberalisation.
Asked by: Bob Ainsworth (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) unilateral, (b) bilateral and (c) multilateral projects her Department is sponsoring in Kashmir.
Answered by Alan Duncan
UK aid to Kashmir is largely delivered through national programmes in Pakistan and India which the UK helps fund. This includes support to promote economic growth, improve maternal and new born health and increase access to education. The tri-departmental Conflict Pool also funds joint programmes in Kashmir, supporting conflict prevention and peace building.
It is not possible to disaggregate our multilateral support to Kashmir.