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Russell Brown
Main Page: Russell Brown (Labour - Dumfries and Galloway)Department Debates - View all Russell Brown's debates with the Department for International Development
(12 years, 1 month ago)
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Justine Greening
The right hon. Gentleman is right. It is worth remembering that 5 million people are living in poverty in Rwanda. Our programme of support is aimed at helping those people in particular. When we came into government, we attached more conditionality to our general budget support, not least through the partnership principles. It is things such as the partnership principles that I will look at in reaching the decision we will take in December.
Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries and Galloway) (Lab)
I, too, congratulate the Secretary of State on her new appointment. She told my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) that officials were consulted and that her predecessor sought their advice. Were other donors and allies who had suspended payments to Rwanda consulted about their views on the impact of the UK’s unilateral decision to reinstate aid?
Justine Greening
I was not in my role when that decision was taken, so I cannot answer the hon. Gentleman’s question directly, but the International Development Committee is planning to look at this issue, and I am sure it will be able to ask and get answers to those questions for him.