Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the implications of the increase in the cost of work permits for foreign workers in South Sudan for the amount of aid delivered in that country.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The proposal by the Government of South Sudan to increase the cost of work permits is a further obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian aid by the government. If these fees are imposed it will have serious consequences for the agencies that are doing all they can to tackle the famine that has been declared. Together with our international partners we raised these issues with the South Sudanese First Vice President on 15 March, and made clear that the government of South Sudan has a responsibility to stop the suffering of its own people, and allow full humanitarian access across the country.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to consult non-governmental organisations on the next stages of policy development in relation to her Department's recent programme of multilateral and bilateral development reviews.
Answered by Rory Stewart
In the Civil Society Review we set out how we will engage with Non-Governmental Organisations in the future, for example we will host an annual civil society open day and UK regional roadshows to ensure we involve a broader range of organisations. NGOs contributed views to the Multilateral Development Review and Bilateral Development Review. Ministers and officials also consulted BOND, the body that represents UK international development NGOs. We will continue to work closely with them and will discuss the next steps on both reviews in due course.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department will continue to fund (a) the European Commission Development Cooperation Instrument, (b) the European Development Fund and (c) ECHO after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Leaving the EU means we will want to take our own decisions about how to deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding. Over the coming months we will consult closely with stakeholders to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best help the world’s poorest and deliver value for money for UK taxpayers.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding from the public purse the UK will contribute to the Better Migration Management programme.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The €46 million ‘Better Migration Management’ programme is part of the EU’s joint work on addressing unmanaged flows from Africa under the Horn of Africa component of the €1.9 billion EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. The UK has made no direct financial contribution to this programme. However, we have committed to a contribution of €3 million to the Horn of Africa component of the Trust Fund overall. That is in addition to the UK’s underlying contribution to the Trust Fund, which amounts to approximately 15% of the EU’s total €1.8 billion contribution, predominantly drawn from the European Development Fund.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
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 South Sudan; what estimate she has made of the number of (a) refugees, (b) displaced people and (c) people with severe malnutrition in that country.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The humanitarian situation in South Sudan remains dire. More than 2.4 million people are displaced; over 785,000 of them to neighbouring countries as refugees. 4.8 million South Sudanese people, almost half of the population, are at risk of severe food insecurity. Although famine has not yet been declared, there is a looming risk in parts of Unity State. Through DFID, the UK remains the second largest bilateral donor to South Sudan.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if the Government will make a multi-year commitment which increases in real terms funding for education in humanitarian situations.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The UK is committed to providing long-term support for education in emergencies and crises, and will continue to put contributions through the most effective channels based on their ability to deliver results. For example, following an initial £115million contribution to the No Lost Generation in Syria initiative, the UK has added a further £240million for education in Jordan and Lebanon over the next four years.
The UK has played a leading role in the development of the Education Cannot Wait fund, which is designed to attract multi-year additional funding for education in emergencies and protracted crises. The UK has recently announced a multi-year commitment of £30million to the Education Cannot Wait fund at the World Humanitarian Summit on 23 May, as a founding donor to this important initiative.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure the Education Cannot Wait fund for education in emergencies focuses on the most marginalised children including girls and children with disabilities.
Answered by Nick Hurd
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 23rd May to Question number 37287.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to become a founding donor to the Education Cannot Wait fund for education in emergencies.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The UK has played a leading role in the development of the Education Cannot Wait fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, which was launched at the World Humanitarian Summit on 23rd May. The UK has committed to provide £30million in support over two years to the new fund as a founding donor, which was announced by the International Development Secretary at the fund’s launch.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to protect schools in conflict zones.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
HMG deplores the fact that armed conflict can expose students and teaching personnel to harm. We believe that better implementation of, and better compliance with, existing International Humanitarian Law will provide the best protection for civilians, including children, in all situations of armed conflict.
Asked by: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support communities affected by land grabs being in the Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia.
Answered by Nick Hurd
DFID’s development support is improving millions of peoples’ lives in Ethiopia by supporting basic services for the poorest; promoting job creation, particularly for women; tackling female genital mutilation and early child marriage which ruins lives; and boosting people’s nutrition and ability to cope with natural shocks.
DFID does not have programmes that specifically target those affected by resettlement, nor does DFID fund resettlement programmes in the Omo Valley or elsewhere in Ethiopia. However since 2011, DFID, alongside other donors in Ethiopia, has visited resettlement sites, including in South Omo, to view implementation against international good practice. We have found no evidence of forced resettlement, but we have concerns about the level of consultation, speed of implementation and respect for international good practices on resettlement. We have regularly raised these concerns with the Government of Ethiopia. Further information can be accessed on the Development Assistance Group website: www.dagethiopia.org