Oral Answers to Questions

Gerald Jones Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Let us go to Robert Halfon. [Interruption.] Oh, right—let us move on.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of reductions in the official development assistance budget on poverty in the global south.

[Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP)]

What the (a) timetable and (b) scope is of his proposed changes to official development assistance spending.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (James Duddridge)]

The Government remain firmly committed to helping the world’s poorest people. Our aid budget will continue to serve the primary aim of reducing poverty in developing countries, including in the global south.

[Gerald Jones [V]]

The Government have made the appalling decision to slash life-saving support for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people in the middle of a pandemic, and an equally appalling announcement yesterday about Yemen highlighted a blatant disregard to fulfilling their moral duty. Will the Minister and the Foreign Secretary press the Chancellor to use this week’s Budget to rebuild Britain’s proud position as a country that supports those in need by reversing his decision to make the UK the only G7 nation to cut its aid budget?

[James Duddridge]

I am sorry the hon. Gentleman thinks that £10 billion is a small sum of money. He mentions Yemen; we should be proud that, since the start of that conflict, we have contributed £1 billion, and at the pledging conference yesterday, a further £87 million. That is activity from this Government, and we are proud of that activity.