Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Vulnerable Supply Chains Facility in supporting workers in the Global South.

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on both UK businesses and workers within their global supply chains. That is why FCDO established the Vulnerable Supply Chains Facility, helping businesses recover from and remain resilient to the economic and social impact of the pandemic. The Facility operates in the garments and agriculture sectors, as analysis shows that both have suffered from drops in demand with resulting job vulnerability, alongside the health risks of COVID-19 to large numbers of workers across Africa and Asia.

Launched in August 2020, the Facility is already delivering impact. 206,000 workers have received critical cash transfers, health services, PPE, COVID-19 prevention and training to build resilience and rights awareness. The Facility seeks to improve the lives of nearly 1 million people in developing countries through partnerships with businesses, helping to addressing the impact of COVID-19.