Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2020 to Question 49674, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to the Global Partnership for Education to sustain education systems in the global south during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Wendy Morton
We are at an unprecedented moment when almost the entire school-going population is out of school, affecting more than 1.5 billion children, half of them girls. Girls’ education is a top UK development priority and my officials are assessing how multilateral and other investments can mitigate short-term risks while schools are closed and protect education systems and finance for the medium to long-term.
The UK is the largest donor to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). We have supported GPE to urgently repurpose resources to support distance learning and help countries prepare plans to re-open schools through a dedicated $500 million COVID-19 accelerated funding window.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has provided additional funding to the Global Partnership for Education to sustain education systems in the global south during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Wendy Morton
We are at an unprecedented moment when almost the entire school-going population is out of school, affecting more than 1.5 billion children, half of them girls. Girls’ education is a top UK development priority and officials are assessing how multilateral and other investments can mitigate short-term risks while schools are closed and protect education systems and finance for the medium to long-term.
The UK is the largest donor to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). We have supported GPE to urgently repurpose resources to support distance learning and help countries prepare plans to re-open schools through a dedicated $250 million COVID-19 accelerated funding window. Beyond this, the UK has not provided additional funds to GPE.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking with regard to its aid programme for Uganda in light of the recent decision by the Ugandan Government to reintroduce a bill that imposes the death penalty on homosexuals.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are fundamentally opposed to all forms of discrimination and work to uphold the rights and freedoms of LGBT people in all circumstances. We note that a Ugandan Government spokesperson confirmed they do not intend to introduce new anti-homosexuality laws and we continue to follow closely any developments related to the death penalty.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress his Department has made on implementing the recommendations of the Wilton Park statement on assisting religious minorities in humanitarian crises.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
DFID has reviewed and assessed the Wilton Park Statement on assisting religious minorities in humanitarian crises. Policy Teams will investigate how to incorporate the recommendations into their policy plans. We will continue to regularly challenge our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether representatives of Jordanian civil society have been invited to attend the 2019 London initiative on opportunities for growth in Jordan.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We are working through the Crown Prince foundation, a leading Jordanian NGO, to ensure participation of Jordanian civil society at the London Initiative and at events in the margins. International NGOs working on job-creation, skills-development and women’s’ economic empowerment have been invited to attend, and we are organising a civil society consultation session in Amman to feed into the London event.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that barriers to economic participation for refugees are included as part of discussion during the upcoming 2019 London Initiative on 28 February 2019.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The London Initiative will aim to boost sustainable and inclusive business-led economic growth in Jordan. A core strand of the Initiative and its implementation will focus on reforms to increase workforce participation for all, particularly from women, youth and refugees.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether time has been allocated on the agenda of the 2019 London Initiative on 28 February 2019 to highlight barriers to economic participation for refugees living in Jordan.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The London Initiative will aim to boost sustainable and inclusive business-led economic growth in Jordan. A core strand of the Initiative and its implementation will focus on reforms to increase workforce participation for all, particularly from women, youth and refugees.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she will take to ensure that children throughout the world are able to attend school in safety; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
Children living through conflict and crisis are particularly vulnerable to violence, including violent attacks against their schools. That’s why the UK is proud to have signed up to the Safe Schools Declaration and is a leading donor to Education Cannot Wait – a fund to provide education in emergencies with the protection of children at its core.
As set out in DFID’s Education Policy ‘Get Children Learning’, preventing and responding to violence against children in schools is a key priority for DFID. This has the potential for positive impacts beyond increasing child safety at school, through achieving better-quality education, and safer, more stable societies. As such DFID welcomes the policy priorities set out in the Send My Friend to School report ‘Safe from harm: Protecting every child and teacher at school.’
DFID has a long history of work to make schools safe. Through the Girls’ Education Challenge and What Works to Prevent Violence programmes, in particular, we have prevented and responded to physical, emotional and sexual violence in schools in countries all over the world and established the evidence base for what works. DFID is also partnering with the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, the United Nations Children’s Fund and others to launch the international ‘Safe to Learn’ campaign in 2019. This campaign intends to spark and accelerate action to end all violence in schools.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential merits for her policies of the recommendations in the Send My Friend To School report Safe from harm: protecting every child and teacher at school; and whether the Government plans to sign the Safe Schools Declaration.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
Children living through conflict and crisis are particularly vulnerable to violence, including violent attacks against their schools. That’s why the UK is proud to have signed up to the Safe Schools Declaration and is a leading donor to Education Cannot Wait – a fund to provide education in emergencies with the protection of children at its core.
As set out in DFID’s Education Policy ‘Get Children Learning’, preventing and responding to violence against children in schools is a key priority for DFID. This has the potential for positive impacts beyond increasing child safety at school, through achieving better-quality education, and safer, more stable societies. As such DFID welcomes the policy priorities set out in the Send My Friend to School report ‘Safe from harm: Protecting every child and teacher at school.’
DFID has a long history of work to make schools safe. Through the Girls’ Education Challenge and What Works to Prevent Violence programmes, in particular, we have prevented and responded to physical, emotional and sexual violence in schools in countries all over the world and established the evidence base for what works. DFID is also partnering with the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, the United Nations Children’s Fund and others to launch the international ‘Safe to Learn’ campaign in 2019. This campaign intends to spark and accelerate action to end all violence in schools.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for International Development:
What plans her Department has to contribute to EU development and humanitarian funds after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Negotiations are still ongoing about the UK’s position following the implementation period. If a UK contribution to EU development funds can best deliver our mutual interests, we should both be open to that. This will be decided on a case by case basis where it represents value for taxpayers’ money.