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, how much the Government plans to disburse in bilateral funding to tackle HIV and AIDS in 2021.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Secretary of State provided thematic ODA allocations for 2021/22 in a written ministerial statement which included £1,305 million allocated to global health. The impact of the global pandemic on the economy has forced us to take tough but necessary decisions, including within our global health portfolio. The aid budget has been allocated in accordance with UK strategic priorities against the challenging financial climate of COVID-19. Finalised FCDO spend for 2020 will be available in the "Statistics on International Development" publication in Autumn 2021 and details of FCDO spend for 2021 will be available in the "Statistics on International Development" publication in Autumn 2022.
The UK remains committed to working as part of a global community to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and welcomes the new Global AIDS Strategy 2021-26 which sets out a clear approach to accelerating progress on HIV and AIDS. We remain strong supporters of the Global Fund to fight HIV, TB and Malaria. We continue to support UNAIDS. At the UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS (June 2021), Minister Morton announced the UK will provide an additional £7 million over 3 years to the Robert Carr Fund which provides grants to grass-roots and community-led organisations that reach inadequately served populations and communities.
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, how much the Government disbursed in bilateral funding to tackle HIV and AIDS in the financial year 2020-21.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Secretary of State provided thematic ODA allocations for 2021/22 in a written ministerial statement which included £1,305 million allocated to global health. The impact of the global pandemic on the economy has forced us to take tough but necessary decisions, including within our global health portfolio. The aid budget has been allocated in accordance with UK strategic priorities against the challenging financial climate of COVID-19. Finalised FCDO spend for 2020 will be available in the "Statistics on International Development" publication in Autumn 2021 and details of FCDO spend for 2021 will be available in the "Statistics on International Development" publication in Autumn 2022.
The UK remains committed to working as part of a global community to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and welcomes the new Global AIDS Strategy 2021-26 which sets out a clear approach to accelerating progress on HIV and AIDS. We remain strong supporters of the Global Fund to fight HIV, TB and Malaria. We continue to support UNAIDS. At the UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS (June 2021), Minister Morton announced the UK will provide an additional £7 million over 3 years to the Robert Carr Fund which provides grants to grass-roots and community-led organisations that reach inadequately served populations and communities.
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 his Department is taking to support private sector food importers in Yemen and the role those importers play in that country's food security.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK is working hard to ensure that vital commercial imports of food and fuel are able to enter Yemen and monitors this closely. Food imports are on track to meet monthly averages, but fuel imports into northern ports are too low. We have successfully lobbied the Yemeni Government to release of eight fuel ships into Hodeidah so far this year. This fuel is critical to the processing and distribution of food by private sector importers. The UK also supports the UN's Verification and Inspection Mechanism to facilitate commercial imports into Hodeidah and Saleef ports, by giving the Coalition confidence that weapons are not coming in on commercial ships. We are also currently considering ways to provide sustainable trade finance for key imports.
We continue to urge both the Houthis and Government of Yemen to work constructively with the UN Special Envoy to find a longer-term sustainable solution for the management of Hodeidah port revenues to enable restrictions on imports to be eased.
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 accuracy of the Final report of Panel of Experts on Yemen for 2020 to the UN Security Council.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Panel of Experts on Yemen provides a vital role in monitoring the implementation of the sanctions regime and the conflict, including highlighting the destabilising role Iran is playing and their investigation into the Houthi attack on Aden Airport. The panel's most recent report made recommendations to improve the accountability and transparency of the Government of Yemen and Central Bank of Yemen. The UK is providing technical support and advice to both institutions to enact much needed reforms, and to this end we regularly engage with the Panel of Experts. We note the successful appointment by the UN Security Council of a new finance lead to the Panel of Experts, and the UK remains committed to supporting the valuable work of the Panel.
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 final report of the Panel of Experts on Yemen to the UN Security Council, published on 25 January 2021, what steps his Department is taking to scrutinise the (a) activity and (b) expert members of that panel.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Panel of Experts on Yemen provides a vital role in monitoring the implementation of the sanctions regime and the conflict, including highlighting the destabilising role Iran is playing and their investigation into the Houthi attack on Aden Airport. The panel's most recent report made recommendations to improve the accountability and transparency of the Government of Yemen and Central Bank of Yemen. The UK is providing technical support and advice to both institutions to enact much needed reforms, and to this end we regularly engage with the Panel of Experts. We note the successful appointment by the UN Security Council of a new finance lead to the Panel of Experts, and the UK remains committed to supporting the valuable work of the Panel.
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 plans he has to implement the OECD policy marker for nutrition in his Department's internal reporting systems.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The FCDO will apply the OECD nutrition policy marker to the spend data we publish through the OECD DAC Creditor Reporting System. The UK's 2019 aid spending data published recently by the OECD DAC included the policy marker for nutrition for the first time. The application of this new policy marker presents a significant improvement in the accountability of aid spending on nutrition.
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 he plans to renew his Department's commitment to reach 50 million people with nutrition interventions over the next four years.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Department is undertaking a rigorous internal prioritisation process in response to the spending review announcement. We will update on the implications of this for any new commitment to nutrition in due course.
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 the Government is taking to ensure that sanctions are not introduced on parties in Yemen that will inhibit the operation of the Yemeni private sector in importing food into the country.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
UN Yemen sanctions carefully target specific individuals, and food and medicines are not subject to sanctions. Sanctions apply to prominent figures who have engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Yemen, including obstructing the successful completion of the political transition, and, as outlined in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative and Implementation Mechanism Agreement, those who act directly or indirectly on their behalf and individuals who have committed human rights violations, including the use of sexual violence as a tool of war.
The UK and our partners have taken significant steps to mitigate against the wider impact of sanctions on Yemeni civilians, including working with the US on reversal of the US designation of the Houthis. We are deeply concerned at access restraints in Yemen, and we call on all parties to facilitate unhindered access for commercial and humanitarian actors. With 90% of Yemen's food imported, the UK recognises the important work of Yemen's food importers at a time of increasing food insecurity in country, and we engage with them often.
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 representations he has received from the Yemeni private sector on the food security situation in that country.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
UN Yemen sanctions carefully target specific individuals, and food and medicines are not subject to sanctions. Sanctions apply to prominent figures who have engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Yemen, including obstructing the successful completion of the political transition, and, as outlined in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative and Implementation Mechanism Agreement, those who act directly or indirectly on their behalf and individuals who have committed human rights violations, including the use of sexual violence as a tool of war.
The UK and our partners have taken significant steps to mitigate against the wider impact of sanctions on Yemeni civilians, including working with the US on reversal of the US designation of the Houthis. We are deeply concerned at access restraints in Yemen, and we call on all parties to facilitate unhindered access for commercial and humanitarian actors. With 90% of Yemen's food imported, the UK recognises the important work of Yemen's food importers at a time of increasing food insecurity in country, and we engage with them often.
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 the Government is taking to ensure that sanctions are not placed on parties in Yemen that will (a) prevent aid reaching the Yemeni people and (b) prevent the private sector from assisting in that country’s humanitarian response.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
UN Yemen sanctions carefully target specific individuals, and food and medicines are not subject to sanctions. Sanctions apply to prominent figures who have engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Yemen, including obstructing the successful completion of the political transition, and, as outlined in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative and Implementation Mechanism Agreement, those who act directly or indirectly on their behalf and individuals who have committed human rights violations, including the use of sexual violence as a tool of war.
The UK and our partners have taken significant steps to mitigate against the wider impact of sanctions on Yemeni civilians, including working with the US on reversal of the US designation of the Houthis. We are deeply concerned at access restraints in Yemen, and we call on all parties to facilitate unhindered access for commercial and humanitarian actors. With 90% of Yemen's food imported, the UK recognises the important work of Yemen's food importers at a time of increasing food insecurity in country, and we engage with them often.