Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2020 to Question 106362 on Gulf States: Overseas Aid, which of the 47 projects delivered through the Integrated Activity Fund in financial year 2019-20 were delivered solely within one country; and what those countries were.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
In 2019/20, the Integrated Activity Fund delivered 33 projects solely in the Gulf States including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 106366 on Overseas Aid, how many projects were solely delivered in (a) Bahrain, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) Kuwait, (d) UAE (e) Oman and (f) Qatar under the Integrated Activity Fund for the financial year 2017-18.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
15 projects and programmes were delivered solely in these individual countries.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2020 to Question 102833 on Saudi Arabia: Overseas Aid, what the names are of the funding streams through which the Government implements projects that involve working with organisations in Saudi Arabia; and how much funding was provided by those funding streams in each of the last four financial years.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
A number of funding streams are available to implement projects in Saudi Arabia. Collecting information on each funding stream available across Government will take more time; it is therefore not possible to provide this information in the time available. Once my officials have collected the information, I will write to the Honourable Member with further details.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2020 to Question 102833 on Saudi Arabia: Overseas Aid, what the names are of the funding streams through which the Government provides funding to the UK armed forces to provide advice, assistance and training to Saudi Arabia; and how much funding was provided by those funding streams in each of the last four financial years.
Answered by James Heappey
Since 2016, the Ministry of Defence has used the Gulf Strategy Fund, Defence Assistance Fund and Integrated Activity Fund to fund UK armed forces to provide advice, assistance and training to Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, with the limited time at our disposal, we have been unable to calculate accurately the funding streams you have mentioned; however, I will write to the hon. Member to provide a copy of these records as soon as possible.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 106366 on Overseas Aid, how many of those 29 projects were delivered solely in (a) Bahrain, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) Kuwait, (d) UAE, and (e) Oman under the Integrated Activity Fund in (i) 2018-19 and (ii) 2019-20.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We do not disclose information related to individual Integrated Activity Fund projects to maintain the confidence and confidentiality of our Gulf partners.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 106366 on Overseas Aid, how many projects were delivered solely in (a) Bahrain, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) Kuwait, (d) UAE (e) Oman and (f) Qatar under the Integrated Activity Fund in 2016-17.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
During the 2016/17 financial year the Integrated Activity Fund was managed by the Cabinet Office and detailed information is not held by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2020 to Question 102832 on Overseas Aid, which of the 44 projects delivered through the Integrated Activity Fund in 2018-19 were delivered solely within one country; and what those countries are.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
In 2018-19, the Integrated Activity Fund delivered 29 projects solely within Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funding the Government provides to (a) Saudi Arabia and (b) organisations implementing training to bodies and institutions in Saudi Arabia.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We do not provide funding to the Saudi Arabian Government. The UK Government does implement a number of projects that involve working with organisations in Saudi Arabia. HMG completes rigorous human rights risk assessments (Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments or OSJAs) before undertaking any justice or security cooperation, to ensure all work meets our human rights obligations and our values.
The UK Government provides funding to the UK armed forces to provide advice, assistance and training to aid Saudi Arabia's efforts to protect its national security and support the Saudi military's compliance with international humanitarian law. The UK Government also pays for civilian and military programmes of advice and assistance, which are then reimbursed by the Saudi Arabian Government at no cost to the UK taxpayer.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 3 July 2018 to Question 157711 on Gulf States: Overseas Aid, if he will set out (a) the activities and (b) the cost of each those activities delivered through the Integrated Activity Fund exclusively within (a) Saudi Arabia, (b) Bahrain, (c) Kuwait, (d) Oman, (e) Qatar and (f) United Arab Emirates in financial year 2019-20.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Integrated Activity Fund supported a range of non-ODA programmes and projects across the Gulf. These included, but were not limited to, activities focusing on culture, healthcare, youth engagement, economic diversification and institutional capacity building. Activities were funded in all six Gulf Cooperation Council states: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Many of the projects and programme activities were delivered regionally, so it is not possible to provide a breakdown by beneficiary state.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2020 to Question 5454 on Gulf States: Overseas Aid, how many projects and programme activities have been funded by the Integrated Activity Fund solely for Bahrain during (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20; which Departments applied for the funding to implement those projects and programme activities; and how much money was spent from the Integrated Activity Fund on those projects and programme activities.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Overall spend from the Integrated Activity Fund (IAF) in 2018/19 financial year was £17 million, and £12 million in 2019/20. The IAF funded activity in all six Gulf Cooperation Council states: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Many of the projects and programme activities were delivered regionally, and final expenditure is subject to Departmental audits.