Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential long-term impact of ongoing hunger crises in East Africa on levels of malnutrition in that region.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Across East Africa over 51 million people face severe food insecurity, of which 700,000 are facing famine-like conditions in South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia. The ongoing drought in the region and dire water shortages are driving alarming levels of malnutrition; about 4.9 million children and 986,100 pregnant and lactating women are acutely malnourished in drought affected areas in the Horn of Africa, including about 1.4 million children who are severely acutely malnourished. There are concrete warnings that the October - December rains might fail. If so, serious humanitarian needs will persist into 2023.
The UK is a major donor to the East Africa region and UK-funded activities are making a difference and saving lives. In Financial Year 2022/23, the UK intends to provide £156 million in humanitarian aid towards crises in East Africa. Of this amount, nearly 50 percent has been allocated as of mid-September.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister for International Development, what plans she has to join the USAID, European donors, and private philanthropies in supporting the provision of child wasting treatments as announced at the UN General Assembly.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Nutrition is a core focus of our work on global health, our humanitarian response and in support of UK goals on girls' education and climate. The UK remains committed to tackling child wasting, and this was reaffirmed by Lord Goldsmith at the United Nations General Assembly event on child wasting in September hosted by United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and USAID.
The UK launched a five year partnership with UNICEF in 2020 to work to reform the prevention and treatment of child wasting. The Nutrition Match Fund is an early success of this partnership; it provides an equal financial match to countries' domestic contributions for therapeutic feeding. The UK Government announced a £2 million contribution to the Match Fund in June 2022 for a total UK contribution so far of £4 million.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade on 30 June 2022, Official Report, column 555, what initiatives her Department is developing to provide financial support for ensuring that LGBT+ non-governmental organisations are able to challenge discrimination in countries where same sex relationships are illegal.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is committed to championing LGBT+ rights internationally and supporting those who defend them. Ministers and our overseas missions work closely with partners to advance LGBT+ equality, and promote the implementation of new laws and policies that better protect LGBT+ people from violence and discrimination.
Since 2018, the UK has committed over £11 million in programmes to support the promotion and protection of LGBT+ rights. On 24 June, the Prime Minister announced a further £2.7 million of UK funding to support LGBT+ grassroots human rights defenders, and advance equality and freedom across the Commonwealth.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the criminalisation of same-sex relationships in Commonwealth countries; whether her Department has made funding available to LGBT+ organisations which work to tackle that legislation in those countries in the last year; and if she will take steps to make the UK a leading funder of those organisations.
Answered by Vicky Ford
As Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, the UK committed over £11 million in programmes to support the promotion and protection of LGBT+ rights across the Commonwealth, including through partners such as The Commonwealth Equality Network, Human Dignity Trust and Kaleidoscope Trust.
Since CHOGM 2018, UK funding has facilitated the provision of technical assistance and capacity building to eight Commonwealth countries seeking to repeal or reform legislation that discriminates on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity. This is extremely sensitive work, often conducted discreetly due to political, social and cultural sensitivities.
On 24 June, the Prime Minister announced £2.7 million of new UK funding to support the vital work of LGBT+ grassroots human rights defenders. We will continue to work closely with like-minded countries and civil society organisations to defend the human rights of LGBT+ people, and advance equality and freedom across the Commonwealth.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) impact of the work of the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Ukraine and (b) Global Fund's ability to have a positive impact in complex operating environments.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Global Fund responded quickly to ensure continuity of HIV and TB services for affected populations following Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. This included reprogramming existing grants and rapidly allocating US $15 million in additional emergency funding. The Global Fund has demonstrated flexibility and responsiveness in a range of challenging operating environments, including Afghanistan as well as Ukraine, and engages efficiently with humanitarian partners and coordination mechanisms to deliver HIV, TB and malaria prevention and treatment services in complex emergencies and in refugee settings.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of (a) the potential merits of the investment case for the Global Fund's seventh replenishment and (b) how additional financing through that fund will advance the Government's commitment to supporting women and girls.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is a strong supporter of the Global Fund, investing in £4.1 billion to date. We are currently reviewing the Global Fund's investment case for the 7th replenishment in line with our new International Development Strategy and recent global health position papers on Health Systems Strengthening and Ending Preventable Deaths. The Global Fund is a key player in the fight against the three diseases and a major contributor to the health and wellbeing of girls and women globally. In particular, the investment case places a strong focus on adolescent girls and young women who continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV, including addressing the structural barriers such as stigma and violence against women that underpin the epidemic. We will continue to make financial and leadership contributions to the Global Fund which will continue our commitment to supporting women and girls.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will prioritise increasing the UK’s pledge contribution for the Global Fund’s upcoming 7th Replenishment in response to the (a) 65 per cent reduction in AIDS-related deaths (b) and 54 per cent reduction in new HIV infections since the Global Fund was founded.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK has contributed over £4.1 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We are proud of the Global Fund's achievements in helping to reduce AIDS-related deaths by 68% and HIV infections by 54%. Our priority is to ensure that UK aid continues to protect millions of people around the world. We are currently reviewing the Global Fund's 7th replenishment investment case and will continue to work with all G7 and G20 members to support progress in the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what strategic priority her Department allocates to the Global Fund in response to its provision of 25 per cent of all international financing for the global HIV and AIDS response.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK has contributed over £4.1 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We are proud of the Global Fund's achievements in helping to reduce AIDS-related deaths by 68% and HIV infections by 54%. Our priority is to ensure that UK aid continues to protect millions of people around the world. We are currently reviewing the Global Fund's 7th replenishment investment case and will continue to work with all G7 and G20 members to support progress in the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it is her policy that (a) securing effective support for the 7th Replenishment for the Global Fund should be a high priority for the G7 and G20 this year and (b) this prioritization should be reflected in the UK’s pledge contribution to the Global Fund’s upcoming 7th Replenishment.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK has contributed over £4.1 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We are proud of the Global Fund's achievements in helping to reduce AIDS-related deaths by 68% and HIV infections by 54%. Our priority is to ensure that UK aid continues to protect millions of people around the world. We are currently reviewing the Global Fund's 7th replenishment investment case and will continue to work with all G7 and G20 members to support progress in the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including ending HIV, tuberculosis and malaria as pandemics by 2030; and what financial commitments the Government is making to achieve those goals.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals including ending the HIV, tuberculosis and malaria pandemics by 2030. The UK pledged £1.4 billion in the 6th replenishment (2020-2022) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, making us the 2nd largest donor towards the 6th replenishment and 3rd largest donor since the Global Fund's creation. We are on track to fulfil our 6th replenishment pledge. Our health investments help countries to build stronger and more inclusive health systems to address all causes of ill health. We also invest in research and innovation to help people access new treatments and diagnostics, and support countries affected by these diseases to strengthen their health systems.