Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Desmond Swayne and Michael Fabricant

Wednesday 18th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Swayne]

A great deal of aid for Gaza was pledged at the Cairo conference. We have delivered a quarter of our pledge, and within the first few weeks of the financial year we will have delivered all of the £20 million we pledged. We have been entering into a considerable diplomatic effort to get other countries that have made pledges to step up to deliver, and I am glad to say that Qatar and Kuwait have now done so.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

10. My right hon. Friend will know that some 600,000 tonnes of concrete have been used for the construction of illegal tunnels for smuggling and to enable the firing of weapons into Israel. How can he ensure that aid gets to the people who need it and not to Hamas?

[Mr Swayne]

One part of the Gaza reconstruction mechanism is the material monitoring unit, which my Department supports. It is designed specifically to do what my hon. Friend requests: to ensure that any materials supplied, stored and dispersed are for the proper purpose and that any infractions are reported.

International Development

Debate between Desmond Swayne and Michael Fabricant

Thursday 18th December 2014 Ministerial Corrections

[Michael Fabricant]

My right hon. Friend will know that it is hard enough, with some notable exceptions, to get women involved in entrepreneurial activities in this country. What is he doing to encourage women entrepreneurs in developing countries?

[Mr Swayne]

We have provided some 29 million women with access to financial services, and we are supporting the provision of some £26 billion in commercial loans to some 50,000 businesses led by women. Last year at the conference we announced that we would provide support for mentoring for 100 women across north Africa.

[Official Report, 17 December 2014, Vol. 589, c. 1391-2.]

Letter of correction from Mr Swayne:

An error has been identified in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant) during Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development.

The correct response should have been:

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Desmond Swayne and Michael Fabricant

Wednesday 17th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

8. What steps her Department is taking to reduce aid dependency by promoting small business start-ups in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

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

We are providing support for small and medium-sized enterprises and micro-businesses across our areas of responsibility, because they contribute so much to both employment and economic development.

[Michael Fabricant]

My right hon. Friend will know that it is hard enough, with some notable exceptions, to get women involved in entrepreneurial activities in this country. What is he doing to encourage women entrepreneurs in developing countries?[Official Report, 18 December 2014, Vol. 589, c. 5-6MC.]