Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his department has made of (a) the implications for his policies of the WHO report entitled Global Tuberculosis Report 2019 and (b) the potential effect of a new TB vaccine on achieving the (i) SDG target of ending the TB epidemic by 2030 and (ii) WHO End TB Strategy of reducing TB deaths by 95% and cutting new cases of TB by 90% between 2015 and 2035.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Global Tuberculosis Report 2019 provides important evidence on the challenge in tackling tuberculosis as an issue of global public health importance. We remain committed to the global effort and the World Health Organisation End Tuberculosis Strategy. We are proud to be at the forefront of work to prevent, detect and treat tuberculosis, including funding research to develop new treatments to tackle drug resistant tuberculosis. Our commitment to provide £1.4 billion to the latest replenishment of the Global Fund will help provide tuberculosis treatment and care for over 2 million people.
A new tuberculosis vaccine could potentially have a significant effect on reducing tuberculosis deaths, and there is cautious optimism about the results for one potential vaccine, although there is still a very high degree of uncertainty for this high-risk research. DFID carefully considers robust data on specific vaccines before taking a view on its role in tackling a disease, including its relative impact alongside other established interventions.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Answer of 1 October 2019 to Question 290329 on Department for International Development: Energy Supply and to the Answer on 1 October 2019 to Question 290324 on Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Energy Supply, if he will introduce the same policy as the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and switch to an electricity provider that supplies electricity solely from renewable resources within the next 12 months; and for what reason his Department has not already ensured its electricity is supplied solely from renewable resources.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
DFID’s UK estate comprises two joint-headquarters, 22 Whitehall in London and Abercrombie House in Glasgow. DFID’s current energy supplier for both offices are EDF Energy for electricity. DFID’s energy is contracted via the Cabinet Office’s Crown Commercial Service Framework. DFID intends to take advantage of renewable energy options under the new Crown Commercial Service Framework when putting in place new energy supply arrangements. As highlighted in DFID’s 2018-19 Annual Report and Accounts (link), DFID has a strong record of improving environmental performance and is working towards meeting the Greening Government Commitment targets (link) in the UK by end of financial year 2019-20.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which provider supplies energy to his Department; how much CO2 was emitted through his Department’s energy consumption in the latest period for which figures are available; whether the criteria his Department uses to selecting an energy supplier includes how environmentally friendly the supplier is; and what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce CO2 emissions from its energy use.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
DFID’s UK estate comprises two joint-headquarters, 22 Whitehall in London and Abercrombie House in Glasgow. DFID’s current energy suppliers for both offices are EDF Energy for electricity and Corona for gas. DFID’s energy providers are selected through Crown Commercial Service (CCS) central Government frameworks, ensuring value for money and sustainability.
In 2018-19, DFID’s UK estate produced 1,396 tonnes CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) from energy consumption, as detailed in DFID’s 2018-19 Annual Report and Accounts. DFID’s greenhouse gas emissions in the UK estate have fallen by 63% since 2009-10. DFID is on track to exceed the Greening Government Commitment (GGC) target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by end of financial year 2019-20, compared to our 2009-10 baseline.
Reductions in energy consumption have been achieved through various initiatives including; introducing a green roof and biomass boiler in Abercrombie House, improving the insulation in Abercrombie House, installing Automated Meter Reading equipment to help identify energy saving opportunities and increasing staff awareness and engagement through campaigns. DFID participates in the Government’s mandatory CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme to offset greenhouse gas emissions produced by our UK estate.
DFID is committed to the Government’s 25 Year Environmental Plan. We continue to look for ways to improve our internal efficiencies in line with our wider commitments on climate change and our ambition to achieve the Global Goals by 2030.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make it his Department's policy to sign up to the UK Steel Charter.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
DFID provides technical assistance and commodities to meet humanitarian needs or extend basic services in developing countries. All DFID contracts are tendered in accordance with the EU Public Procurement Directive and the UK Public Procurement Regulations 2015, the focus of which is to ensure open and fair competition between bidders. This means our contracts are competitively tendered following a set of standard processes set out in the regulations These regulations establish what we can do as a public sector organisation and our processes also ensure that our due diligence of suppliers is comprehensive and rigorous.
This competitive approach helps ensure value for money in the delivery of UK aid. British companies have continued to be very successful in this competitive market with UK firms winning 80% of our contracts in 2018/19.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether officials in his Department have had discussions with officials in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the UK Steel Charter.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We have discussed the procurement of steel with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which has asked all Government departments to consider guidance on steel procurement and to notify of any upcoming opportunities for industry.
More broadly, the Government is committed to supporting the steel sector to realise the broader commercial opportunities that are open to it, which could be worth an additional £3.8 billion a year by 2030. We are establishing the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund – backed by up to £315m of investment – to help businesses with high energy use (including steel companies) to cut their bills and transition UK industry to a low carbon future. We are also providing up to £66m through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to help steel and other foundation industries develop radical new technologies.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of whether the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has adequate resources to successfully treat 40 million people with TB by 2022, as set out in the commitments of the UN High-Level Meeting on TB; and what progress has been made toward meeting those commitments.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The commitments of the UN High-Level Meeting on TB included ambitious targets for TB control, prevention and treatment. As the largest international funder of tuberculosis programmes, the Global Fund has a key role in meeting these commitments, and a full replenishment in October will be essential. The Global Fund’s work will necessarily complement that of national governments, which retain primary responsibility for protecting their citizens from tuberculosis. Since the High-Level Meeting, the UK has worked with others to develop an accountability framework for delivering on the commitments, which has now been finalised.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking with international counterparts to promote the allocation of additional funding for the sixth replenishment of the Global Fund.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Global Fund has a key role to play in ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and achieving universal health coverage. To reach its ambitious $14 billion target for the Sixth Replenishment, it will be necessary for donors to step up from both public and private sectors. As part of the G7 Health Ministers’ Declaration in May 2019, the UK affirmed its commitment to support the success of the Sixth Replenishment and to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the Global Fund’s programmes. Since then we have remained in close contact with our international counterparts to encourage them to ensure the replenishment is a success.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of strengthening TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment on (a) rates of antimicrobial resistance and (b) health systems around the world.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK Government recognises that strengthening TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment contributes to preventing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and strengthening health systems.
Drug-resistant TB currently accounts for one-third of all deaths from AMR. The UK is leading work on development of new antibiotics and treatment combinations and new ways to rapidly test for drug resistance. DFID’s support to the Global Fund helps to ensure rapid rollout of new tools. For example, UK funding has helped to roll out a new multi-drug-resistant TB treatment regimen in 30 countries where the Global Fund operates.
Strengthening TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment also contributes to strengthening broader health systems. The UK’s investment in the Global Fund is building national capability to deliver quality health services and contributing to Universal Health Coverage and to ensuring that no country and no person is left behind.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what is the criteria is for providing aid to India.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK gives no money to the Indian Government.
Instead, the UK offers expertise, skills and investment to India in areas of mutual interest such as urban development, financial services, energy and security. The Prosperity Fund and Newton Fund support projects in India led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to deliver joint economic development priorities in India, focusing on areas which will generate jobs and lift people out of poverty.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with the Government of Bangladesh on granting refugee status to the Rohingya.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We continue to discuss the status of the Rohingya with the government of Bangladesh, which prefers not to formally recognise them as refugees. We maintain that refugee status would help to ensure appropriate support and security for the Rohingya. It would also help with raising the urgent funds needed from the international community.