Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding from the public purse has been paid by her Department to Adam Smith International since March 2017; how much of that funding is classified as Official Development Assistance; and whether her Department has (a) signed any new contracts or (b) extended any existing contracts with Adam Smith International since March 2017.
Answered by Priti Patel
DFID has not signed any new contracts or extended any existing contracts with Adam Smith International (ASI) since March 2017. Between 1st March – 31st August 2017 DFID paid £50.06 million to ASI, to fulfil legally binding contracts. All payments are classified as Official Development Assistance.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans exist for the repatriation or reallocation of the proportion of the overseas aid budget currently contributing towards EU development funds; and whether the Government intends to bring these plans before Parliament.
Answered by Priti Patel
The arrangements for withdrawal from the EU, including its funds, will be determined as part of the exit negotiations with the European Commission.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she plans to publish a breakdown of new funding for Nigeria announced in August 2017.
Answered by Priti Patel
The detailed plans of how these funds are going to be spent will be published on DFID department’s website once suitable implementing partners are appointed. Further details of these announcements can be found in my press releases of 31 August 2017 on modern slavery and on 30 August 2017 on humanitarian support.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she plans to review her Department's financial contribution to any UN agencies.
Answered by Priti Patel
The 2016 Multilateral Development Review included a comprehensive assessment of every UN agency receiving more than £1 million of annual core funding from DFID.
We continue to actively monitor UN Agency performance through our membership of their Governing Boards and analysis of their results data. We are clear that where agencies consistently fail to meet our high standards, their funding is at risk. The UK is pushing hard for the UN development system to change so that it is better prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century; future funding will be linked to progress on reform.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the cost including for staff of maintaining her Department's In the News webpage is annually.
Answered by Priti Patel
DFID’s In the News webpage is maintained by the existing Press Office team as part of their regular duties. There is no dedicated resource required.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help meet the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Answered by Priti Patel
The government is committed to the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 4, in particular ensuring that children in developing countries are able to access a good quality education.
The UK supported 11 million children in school between 2011 and 2015. The UK is also leading the way on reaching the most marginalised children including through flagship programmes such as the Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) which is supporting 1 million of the world’s most marginalised girls. We have stepped up on education in emergencies through our funding of Education Cannot Wait. We have also committed to getting more children with disabilities into school and learning. The UK has funded 380,000 teachers through our multilateral contributions. All are critical elements of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to work closely with disability-focused organisations to improve the effectiveness of the UK's efforts to enhance access to education for disabled girls in developing countries.
Answered by Priti Patel
Working with disability focused NGOs and disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) is central to DFID’s work on Disability Inclusion. DFID’s leading programmes for working with NGOs – UK Aid Direct and UK Aid Match – both include support for disability-focused organisations. DFID’s flagship programme on girls education – the Girls’ Education Challenge – has reached over 45,000 girls with disabilities, in part through working with disability focused organisations such as Leonard Cheshire. DFID continues to learn from experience of what works in reaching girls with disabilities. For example, building on the success of the programme in Kenya, Leonard Cheshire are working with the education ministry to revise the teacher training curriculum and demonstrate to local education ministries how to support girls with disabilities.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department plans to take to support the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health rights of those people affected by the US Administration's Mexico City policy.
Answered by Priti Patel
The UK is the second largest bilateral donor in the world for family planning, after the US. We will continue to be a global leader on family planning, women’s rights and sexual and reproductive health, including where appropriate access to safe abortion.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what criteria are used to guide procurement decisions on HIV and TB medicines in her Department's bilateral programmes.
Answered by Priti Patel
All bilateral and multilateral procurement of health commodities and medicines follow standard World Health Organisation guidelines to ensure they are global standard approved medicines. All investments are also driven by value for money considerations and best commercial practice.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the US Administration's Mexico City policy on levels of funding for the global HIV and AIDS response.
Answered by Priti Patel
The full implications of the reinstated and expanded Mexico City policy on global funding for the HIV response are not yet clear, but we are closely following developments. DFID will consider the implications with our offices, with UK civil society and with donors. The UK has made a £1.1 billion pledge to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria for the 5th replenishment 2017-2019, increased from £800m for the 4th replenishment. This will boost funding for HIV through the Global Fund and will support the firm commitment to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.