Oral Answers to Questions

Rachel Maclean Excerpts
Tuesday 4th September 2018

(6 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Alan Duncan Portrait Sir Alan Duncan
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My right hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), who doubles up as a Department for International Development Minister, made direct representations when he visited last week, and the high commissioner in Bangladesh is continuing to make strong representations as frequently and as effectively as she possibly can.

Rachel Maclean Portrait Rachel Maclean (Redditch) (Con)
- Hansard - -

A vital human right is that girls receive an education. Given that girls are likely to be out of education in conflict zones, what further actions are the Government and the Department taking to tackle that serious and worrying issue?

Alan Duncan Portrait Sir Alan Duncan
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

We championed that important issue when I was DFID Minister, as did my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell). It is a joint objective of DFID and the Foreign Office to ensure that girls have a full education for as many years as possible, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be meeting the DFID Secretary this afternoon to discuss exactly this topic.