Oral Answers to Questions

John Howell Excerpts

Wednesday 9th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Duncan]

I was also at that meeting, and I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we raise such matters regularly. It is essential that some kind of normal activity can be permitted in the occupied Palestinian territories; otherwise, as my right hon. Friend the Member for Gordon (Sir Malcolm Bruce) said, there will not be a two-state solution and there is a danger of permanent conflict and tension.

[John Howell (Henley) (Con)]

5. What steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of aid dependency through the creation of jobs.

[The Secretary of State for International Development (Justine Greening)]

My Department is working hard to grow jobs and end aid dependency. Over the next two years we will more than double to £1.8 billion the amount that DFID invests in job creation and economic development.

[John Howell]

Will the Secretary of State set out her objectives for next week’s meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation and say what her Department’s work with the private sector will achieve?

[Justine Greening]

The meeting in Mexico is incredibly important. It will help us to take the next steps to shape responsible business practices that can, in turn, support sustainable and inclusive economic growth in countries that so badly need it.