Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the outbreak of covid-19 in refugee camps throughout the world.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting the UK’s global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 and help the most vulnerable, including refugees in camps and settlements as well as host communities. This includes a contribution of £5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
DFID recognises that individuals in refugee settings, including urban areas, may be vulnerable to acquiring diseases such as COVID-19 as well as facing associated protection risks. UN Resident Coordinators have been tasked by WHO to assess these risks and consider needs at country level, which will include refugee populations. UK officials are in discussion with humanitarian agencies including the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, to ensure that such considerations are factored into evolving plans. UNHCR are not aware of any cases of COVID-19 in refugee camps at present.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the vulnerability of people in refugee camps to a covid-19 outbreak in refugee camps.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting the UK’s global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 and help the most vulnerable, including refugees in camps and settlements as well as host communities. This includes a contribution of £5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
DFID recognises that individuals in refugee settings, including urban areas, may be vulnerable to acquiring diseases such as COVID-19 as well as facing associated protection risks. UN Resident Coordinators have been tasked by WHO to assess these risks and consider needs at country level, which will include refugee populations. UK officials are in discussion with humanitarian agencies including the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, to ensure that such considerations are factored into evolving plans. UNHCR are not aware of any cases of COVID-19 in refugee camps at present.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had on steps to prevent covid-19 outbreaks in refugee camps with the Governments of countries hosting those camps.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting the UK’s global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 and help the most vulnerable, including refugees in camps and settlements as well as host communities. This includes a contribution of £5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
DFID recognises that individuals in refugee settings, including urban areas, may be vulnerable to acquiring diseases such as COVID-19 as well as facing associated protection risks. UN Resident Coordinators have been tasked by WHO to assess these risks and consider needs at country level, which will include refugee populations. UK officials are in discussion with humanitarian agencies including the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, to ensure that such considerations are factored into evolving plans. UNHCR are not aware of any cases of COVID-19 in refugee camps at present.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether there have been any cases of covid-19 in refugee camps throughout the the world.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting the UK’s global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 and help the most vulnerable, including refugees in camps and settlements as well as host communities. This includes a contribution of £5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
DFID recognises that individuals in refugee settings, including urban areas, may be vulnerable to acquiring diseases such as COVID-19 as well as facing associated protection risks. UN Resident Coordinators have been tasked by WHO to assess these risks and consider needs at country level, which will include refugee populations. UK officials are in discussion with humanitarian agencies including the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, to ensure that such considerations are factored into evolving plans. UNHCR are not aware of any cases of COVID-19 in refugee camps at present.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether his Department plans to make additional funding available to prevent covid-19 outbreaks in refugee camps throughout the world.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting the UK’s global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 and help the most vulnerable, including refugees in camps and settlements as well as host communities. This includes a contribution of £5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
DFID recognises that individuals in refugee settings, including urban areas, may be vulnerable to acquiring diseases such as COVID-19 as well as facing associated protection risks. UN Resident Coordinators have been tasked by WHO to assess these risks and consider needs at country level, which will include refugee populations. UK officials are in discussion with humanitarian agencies including the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, to ensure that such considerations are factored into evolving plans. UNHCR are not aware of any cases of COVID-19 in refugee camps at present.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
What steps she is taking to ensure that new investments made by the CDC Group contribute to poverty reduction.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
CDC invests to create jobs and reduce poverty. The five year Strategic Framework published in 2017 sets out steps CDC is taking to maximise the development impact of its investments. Almost 750,000 people are directly employed by companies supported by CDC in the poorest countries in Africa and South Asia.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the World Humanitarian Summit in advance of UN Economic and Social Council meeting in June 2017; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
I, and other Ministers, have regular conversations with other donors and Heads of agencies to discuss taking forwards reform of the international system and how we can all respond better to humanitarian crises. During the course of 2017 this has included specific conversations urging countries and institutions to step up their response to the major humanitarian crises, and pushing for a reformed system which is more efficient, innovative, transparent and accountable.