Oral Answers to Questions

Mary Robinson Excerpts

Wednesday 21st November 2018 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

1. What steps she is taking to provide long-term support to the Rohingya.

[Sir Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

12. What steps she is taking to provide long-term support to the Rohingya.

[The Secretary of State for International Development (Penny Mordaunt)]

We have provided £129 million towards alleviating the crisis in Bangladesh since August last year and helped to reach nearly 1 million people with life-saving support. We will continue to be a leader in the international response, supporting the Government of Bangladesh to meet the ongoing needs of the Rohingya refugees and host communities.

[Mary Robinson]

The first official day of repatriating thousands of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar ended in failure last week, after no one agreed to voluntarily return. In that context, is the Department constructing its aid programme to reflect the fact that the vast majority of Rohingya refugees will be in Bangladesh for the foreseeable future?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am pleased to say that the Government of Bangladesh have respected the principle of voluntary return and have stated, quite rightly, that they will continue to do so. Our planning approach remains that refugees and host communities will require support in Bangladesh for some time, even when credible voluntary returns processes begin.

--- Later in debate ---

[Alistair Burt]

The situation in Libya remains extremely difficult. These abuses that come to light remind us all that Libya cannot be forgotten and that the efforts to reduce conflict and create peace must continue, as happened in Palermo last week. We are spending £75 million on safer migration routes to help tackle some of these crises, and we continue to do all we can to get people out of the difficult areas, but it requires international co-operation.

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

T6. Can the Secretary of State update the House on the UK’s contribution to eliminating polio around the world, and will she join me in welcoming the efforts of Bramhall and Woodford Rotary through its Purple4Polio fundraising campaign?