Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when her Department plans to release updated country-specific anti-corruption strategies.
Answered by Rory Stewart
DFID will publish country anti-corruption strategies. In doing so DFID will want to ensure that we can take into account recommendations from the International Development Committee’s report and relevant aspects of the forthcoming UK Anti-Corruption Strategy. DFID continues to deliver against the country anti-corruption strategies and efforts to tackle corruption do not hinge on when they are published.
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 her Department is taking to ensure that UK aid to Myanmar reaches the Rohingya people in the Rakhine State.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The UK remains deeply concerned by the ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State and allegations of human rights abuses. UK Ministers and our Ambassador have called on both civilian and military Minsters in the Government to urge a restrained security response, an independent investigation into allegations of human rights abuses, and for the immediate resumption of access for humanitarian aid. The Government of Burma has committed to restoring humanitarian access and investigating allegations of human rights abuses. Humanitarian access has improved somewhat but some restrictions on travel for international staff and on conducting needs assessments remain in place, affecting the quality and quantity of assistance that can be provided. The UK continues to raise these issues with the government of Burma at every available opportunity.
The UK does not provide funding directly to the Government of Burma.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Government and Civil Society programme run by her Department in Myanmar.
Answered by Rory Stewart
DFID Burma has a range of governance and civil society programming, including: electoral and parliamentary strengthening work and early support on civil service and judiciary reform through the Programme for Democratic Change; support for Public Financial Management in conjunction with the World Bank; support to Burma’s census; and programming to strengthen civil society quality and engagement with government. All programmes are reviewed annually as part of routine programme management, with reports available on the DFID website. All have received A or A+ ratings in the past three years.
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 she has made of the humanitarian situation in Aleppo.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID-funded UN and other humanitarian partners are assessing and responding to needs in east Aleppo city. Approximately 65,000 people stayed in east Aleppo or have returned since its capture by the Assad regime in December. Immediate needs include food, medicine, shelter and cold weather support, such as winter clothing and thermal blankets. West Aleppo city has seen much less conflict, but our humanitarian partners have increased their activities to provide the full range of relief to the 50,000 people displaced there from the east of the city. This is in addition to the existing estimated 350,000 displaced persons already in west Aleppo city.
Access to the main water supply remains intermittent in Aleppo due to a technical failure in Al Khafse water station, but repairs are being undertaken. In the meantime, DFID-funded partners have been trucking in water and installing water tanks.
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 she is taking to ensure that aid can continue to be provided to Aleppo should the conflict in that city resume.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID-funded UN and humanitarian partners are assessing and responding to needs in east Aleppo city and have increased their activities in the west of the city to support those displaced there from the east. This is in addition to ongoing work to support the existing 350,000 displaced persons already in west Aleppo city.
The UN assesses that the security situation in the city is stable, but we will continue to monitor this closely and scale up our response if necessary. We are working with our partners to ensure that they have effective contingency plans in place for any deterioration. As part of this work, they now have substantial contingency stocks of food available inside Aleppo City, and could quickly mobilise further stocks if required at short notice.
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 foreign counterparts on UNHCR's winter programme funding.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
DFID is in regular communication with UNHCR, other agencies, host states and donor countries. Through this we raise concerns about conditions facing displaced people in winter.
In October 2016 the UK contributed £9.8million to UNHCR’s Supplementary Appeal for Refugee Emergency Response in Europe. This will reach over 50,000 vulnerable refugees with core relief items and includes rapid winterisation of shelters in response to deteriorating weather conditions.