Conflict and Climate Change in Fragile States: Support for Children

Lord Collins of Highbury Excerpts

Tuesday 28th November 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Harlech (Con)]

My Lords, the UK is a champion for international development and one of the most generous global aid donors, spending more than £11 billion in aid in 2021. We remain committed to spending 0.7% of gross national income on official development assistance. Ministers continuously review the ODA budget to ensure that it is spent in the most effective way possible to support the Government’s objectives. That includes ensuring that we are working to deliver on our climate finance commitments.

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

Can we have another go at answering my noble friend’s question, because there is a bit of smoke and mirrors here? The simple fact is that a large proportion of ODA at the moment is going not to those fragile states but to hotels in this country to support refugees. My noble friend’s question was specifically about two new funds; he is asking whether they will draw money away from the priority that this Government have made for children’s education in fragile states. Will the Minister answer that question?

[Lord Harlech (Con)]

My Lords, I will give the House another example of where we are spending money. The UK spent £2.4 billion on international climate finance from 2016 to 2020 for adaptation, including investment in areas relevant to addressing loss and damage. That included around £303 million on humanitarian assistance directly linked to climate change and building resilience to it, £396 million on social protection and £196 million on financial protection and risk management. It is too early for the UK to say how much it might commit to the loss and damage fund.