Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Desmond Swayne and Kerry McCarthy

Wednesday 3rd June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

6. What support her Department is giving to the Rohingya people in Burma.

[The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Mr Desmond Swayne)]

The Department for International Development is one of the biggest international donors in Rakhine state. We have just increased our support by a further £6.2 million, bringing our support since 2012 to £18 million.

[Kerry McCarthy]

Does the Minister agree that the time is long overdue for Burma to address the persecution and poverty that force the Rohingya to flee? Does he think that the time is now right for the UN Secretary-General to lead the negotiations, so that humanitarian non-governmental organisations can gain access to Rakhine state?

[Mr Swayne]

Yes, and a director general of DFID is in Rakhine state as we speak, and we take every opportunity to push forward these matters.