Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
What recent steps she has taken to ensure value for money for overseas projects funded by her Department.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
DFID has recently introduced tough new reforms for its aid spending to deliver value for money, including clamping down on the risk of unethical practices by suppliers and increasing efficiency savings. All projects are measured against a robust monitoring framework to ensure they remain cost effective.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support the UK has given to the people of (a) Sierra Leone and (b) Freetown after recent flooding.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Our deepest sympathies are with the people of Sierra Leone affected by the mudslide and flooding in and around Freetown. The UK was among the first to respond, with personnel at the scene within hours. We provided vital humanitarian assistance immediately, drawing on supplies already in place following the Ebola outbreak. We have allocated £5m to provide clean water and hygiene kits to prevent a cholera outbreak; essential health and psychosocial services; and food and clothing to those affected. We are helping families to re-establish their lives by finding alternative accommodation, and ensuring their children can return to school.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when her Department expects that the air service contract between the St Helena Government and SA Airlink will be signed.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The tender process is managed by the St Helena Government. On 9 June, the St Helena Government announced that SA Airlink had been chosen as the preferred bidder for the provision of a scheduled commercial air service to St Helena. A formal announcement on the contract award will be made once the contract negotiations are complete.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she has requested reports from the Governor of St Helena on the outcomes of the air service tender.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID is regular contact with both the Governor of St Helena and her team working on the air services procurement.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) discussions and (b) meetings her officials have had with SA Airlink on the future of the air service in the last 12 months.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID officials are in regular contact with the St Helena Government which leads the tender process for provision of a scheduled air service to St Helena. That process is ongoing and therefore meetings and discussions which have formed part of this process are subject to commercial confidentiality.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many responses the St Helena Government received on its tender for the air service.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The tender process for the air services contract is managed by the St Helena Government. As that process is still on-going and is therefore subject to commercial confidentiality until completed, we are unable to provide the detail requested at this time.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to use some of the UK's aid budget to support the creation of processing plants to allow start-to-finish manufacture of chocolate and coffee in countries that provide the base products for fair-trade food items.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The UK currently invests in supply chains through programmes like the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme. Support for in-country processing of basic commodities is a way to add value and support livelihoods in developing countries.
In the Economic Development Strategy launched in January 2017, DfID committed to take an increasingly dynamic approach to agriculture, including boosting agri-business and financing agricultural infrastructure, to provide strong foundations for inclusive growth. The specific support we provide to different countries and sectors will be tailored to local needs and priorities.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial assistance her Department gives to Christians in developing countries; and what assistance can be given to individual Christians within the criteria set by her Department.
Answered by Rory Stewart
All UK-funded aid is distributed on the basis of need irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity. A very wide range of individuals, across all faiths, benefit from this assistance.
All faith groups can access and receive funding through DFID’s major civil society funding mechanisms: UK Aid Direct and UK Aid Match. Those already in receipt of this funding include: CAFOD, Christian Aid, Samaritans Purse and Habitat for Humanity.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support smaller countries toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 on conservation and sustainable use of the marine environment.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The UK Government is playing a leading role in helping developing countries achieve the SDGs, including Goal 14. As part of a strong cross-Government effort, DFID supports the Global Environment Facility, which includes assistance for small island developing states in managing their marine territories.
Asked by: Nigel Evans (Conservative - Ribble Valley)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to review her Department's spending on all education projects in the Palestine authority to ensure those projects meet her Department's criteria.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The UK’s bilateral funding to the Palestinian Authority education sector only goes to support the salaries of vetted teachers and public servants. Our support is helping around 25,000 young Palestinians go to school each year.. The UK is about to assess performance of this past year’s support with the Palestinian Authority, including progress against the Partnership Principles, and tackling incitement in education. DFID OPTs regularly monitors programme performance, including through annual reviews. The Minister of State has also personally reviewed our educational programs on his most recent visit to Palestine and will be contributing to our portfolio review.