International Development Questions House of Commons


International Development Questions

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both houses of parliament at 11pm tonight, but first we have puestions

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of the Secretary of State for International Development, Justine

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Greening. Order, order. Questions to the

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Secretary of State for International Development. Question number one.

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With permission, I'll answer question one and two togethdr. Our

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country has ambitions for the world humanitarian summit, which comes at

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a critical time, given their more displaced people globally now that

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at any time during the Second World War. We're working with partners,

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including UN agencies, governments and the private sector to ensure the

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summit delivers transformathve change crisis response. Child

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protection has been desperately underfunded in global human carrying

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adverts. One in ten children living convicted areas, and Unicef wants 3

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million children are caught up in emergencies and need help. Can the

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Minister tellers, will the Prime Minister be part of the UK

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delegation, and will he comlit to making child protection one of the

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key priorities at the summit? We haven't finalised the UK delegation,

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but I can assure this issue has been at the core of all of our rdsponses,

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not least of course most recently in Syria, and it was the UK whhch work

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with Unicef to put in place so-called safe zones in manx of the

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refugee camps to enable children to be rebated with their familhes if

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they became lost. Can I ask the Minister what discussions she

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expects to take place at thd summit on support for those fleeing

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violence and persecution? Whll she support efforts at the summht to

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ensure lower and middle-income countries hosting refugees `nd

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displaced people have long-term predictable financing, that refugees

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themselves will have the right to work and contribute to this society

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and economy they moved to? Of course he raises a good question, we have a

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conference in London tomorrow which is looking at this issue of

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respecting the fact refugees are on average a refuge either 17 xears so

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we need to go beyond the tr`ditional life-saving support to meet these

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broader need, not just jobs, but getting schools into... Children

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into schools, said the Syri` conference is a key moment, not just

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to respond to that crisis, but a more broadly sure a new moddl of

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responding to humanitarian crises around the world, which I hope we

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can take forward at the sumlit. Given that many humanitarian crisis

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caused by conflict, will my right honourable friend make sure the UK

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delegation is pressing the Tnited Nations at this summit to m`ke sure

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it is more effective in terls of conflict resolution and prevention,

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does solving a lot of the Proms many women and children are facing in our

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world? -- problems. I had the privilege of sharing the UN council

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last October and the issue we talked about was the need for the

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international community and the council to look before conflict hits

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and to look at fragile countries, and to have better if you w`nt

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systems, web on human rights or any other areas, back in high l`dy areas

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we need to do work in to kedp peace and stability, rather than the costs

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of lead after effects. What work is she doing to ensure aid is joined up

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with longer-term development aid? The world humanitarian summht is a

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key opportunity for us to knit these agendas together clearly. At the

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moment the system, I describe it as being a hospital that only has an

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A Department, we need to be thinking ahead about how we can not

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only deal with the day-to-d`y challenges that refugees and people

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face, but start already building in the long-term solution so they can

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get their lives back on track, not by this issues of jobs in

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particular, children in schools helping those communities who host

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those refugees to cope is so important. Where is Mr Hendry? The

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fellow has just asked a question and has gone out of the chamber. We

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still have exchanges on that question. I know he is new, but he

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must learn. He must not ask a question and then leave. Thdre are

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continuing exchanges upon that matter, and am sure he is at least

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interested in the opinions of others as he is in his own opinions. Quite

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extraordinary behaviour. Cotld I press the Secretary of Statd to

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advocates a presumption of the Nile of arms exporter countries of

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concern as a UK innovation that could help save lives around the

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world's? We have some of thd strictest arms ripped jeans in the

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world, -- regimes. The leaddrship on my own department is to instre that

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when crisis does head, the TK plays a leading role and making stre

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people who are factored... @ffected have long-term support they need.

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This is important... A high,level panel looking at these issuds, and

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they made the point that 124 million people in the world who livd to

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support. Garcia: other country, but they don't have a head of state at

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the UN speaking up for them. That is why the rest of us need to work as

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hard as you can to make surd the needs are met. The Secretarx of

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State will be aware that thd biggest crisis facing us is the reftgee

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crisis. The house respects the government has done with thd Syria

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conference and investing in the camps. What about those reftgees,

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particular child refugees, who are not in the comes question what we

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appeared this week that for the first time since the crisis began,

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women and children make up the majority of refugees travelling to

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Greece. How many child refugees who were not in the camps is thd

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government proposing to takd? On the broader issue, she will know the UK

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set up with Unicef the no lost generation initiative which has

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enabled now half of the children affected by the Syrian crishs to be

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able to be in school, and more broadly on the relocation scheme we

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put in place, which is the right way to help vulnerable refugees

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relocates out of the region if they need to, it is working with the

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agencies to identify them as runnable people. We are talking with

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them about how that can be dxtended to unaccompanied children, but the

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good news is that because of the hard work of agencies like Tnicef,

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funded by the UK, over 85% of children who do arrive in countries

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like Jordan and Lebanon unaccompanied are able to fhnally

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meet up for their families `nd get reunited again.

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Mr Speaker, two thirds of Africa does not have access to electricity.

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And we want to play a leading role in changing that, accelerathng the

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market for transformative household solar systems and so contribute to

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the global goal of universal access by 2020. Would the Minister outlined

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what opportunity he sees for British entrepreneurs and companies to help

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his apartment achieved his `mbition of ending fuel poverty in Africa?

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One of the things we are excited about is some of the most

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effectively the ship we are seeing on the continent by companids who

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are British or said about British people or backed by bridges,

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including ours. And the resdarch into initiatives will creatd

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opportunities for British companies to be involved in that rese`rch Can

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the Minister confirm if discussions are taking place with Afric`n

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nations states to ensure solar energy becomes a high priorhty in

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those states and we can help and give assistance to very much needed

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energy supplies to the residents of those nation states? I can confirm

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that, by the number of bilateral meetings with African ministers and

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indeed have signed of seven countries to the campaign, which is

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all about accelerating access their citizens have these subsystdms that,

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I have seen this, can transform prospects of families. It is a high

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priority for them and us. C`n I ask the Minister to broaden his

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horizons? We have so much expertise in this country, in univershties, in

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big energy companies, and a lot of social enterprises that know about

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this stuff bring them together, give us the opportunity to help people in

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Africa to set up themselves. I'm with him, as are many things. There

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is a huge amount of expertise in this country we can and shotld and

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want to connect to leaders hn African countries, who know that

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making it easier for their citizens to access energy is fundamental It

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is a top priority. The incrdased growth identifies access as a major

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blockage to Grove, and the research for small businesses in devdloping

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countries identified lack of access as one of the top ten barridrs. I

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welcome the support the sol`r panel, but how do they look to explore

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this? How they prioritise clean energy, across-the-board, to ensure

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we don't undermine climate change targets? I have mentioned one piece,

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the solar panel system, which totals over ?1.5 billion worth of

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investment, and to be in renewable energy, conjuration to the @frica

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partnership of two gigawatts, connecting 20 mil and peopld fear

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that initiative alone. The offer goes broader than household solar

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and incomes is a wide range of renewable technologies. Mr Speaker,

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80% of the population are in need of humanitarian aid. 7.6 million face

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severe food shortages. 320,000 children under the age of fhve are

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severely malnourished. Therd are 2.5 million displaced people and there

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were 8000 civilian casualtids last year. It must be one of thel most

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least eligible places to be. I thank the Minister is setting out the very

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worrying situation in Yemen on. Given the other problem are`s, such

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as Syria, isn't it the fact it is one of the hidden Proms of the

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world? What can the gunmen to do to enable us to get at least food age

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into Yemen -- the government? We started by doubling aid last year

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and the Secretary of State said it would increase by a further 10

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million to ?85 million. She led a side event at the UN General

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Assembly in September which she secured from other donors a further

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85 million. We are working on the verification Annex action to make

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sure more food and shipping can get into the Yemen. At the same time we

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are supplying arms to one shde in the conflict. Maybe it is thme to

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support the independent enqtiry into the abuses of international

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humanitarian law, and in thd meantime suspend arms sales to Saudi

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Arabia. We have supported the UN human rights Council which requires

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the government of the Yemen to investigate with the support of the

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UN. The very good work in the Yemen is being undermined by UK arms sales

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to Saudi Arabia. Mr Speaker, what undermines UK aid and what lakes it

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more necessary and yet harddr to deliver? That is the violent and

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unlawful removal of the govdrnment of Yemen. And only a peace process

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to restore it will end the suffering. If we are concerned about

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arms exports to Saudi Arabi` to fuel the conflict in Yemen, why does the

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government not press ahead with pressing ahead the cross-party

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committee on arms exports so Parliament can control it bdtter? As

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the Prime Minister pointed out, we have the most stringent and robust

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arms exports regulations in the world. We have supported thd UN

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human rights Council resolution and we are absolutely committed to the

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investigation of every abusd or abrogation of international law The

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Minister will be aware that Oxfam, Unicef and save the children take

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the position that DIFD work in Yemen is being undermined by UK arms

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sales. How does the Minister suggest that are replenished Saudi @rabian

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arsenal being dropped on Yelen is not an impediment to development? As

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I said to the honourable Lady, the undermining of the ability to

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deliver aid is a consequencd of warfare. That warfare arises because

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of the violent removal of the lawful government of Yemen, not because we

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sold arms to the Saudis. No country can develop whilst half

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of its population is locked out of that. That is why I place ilproving

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the prospects for girls and women around the world at the heart of the

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work and I am honoured to h`ve been appointed to the UN high-level panel

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on economic secretaries joining the cause to fight this agenda forward.

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Does my right honourable frhend agree there needs to be in the

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poorest countries a particular focus on rural focus and agriculttre. They

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have the security of it is their responsibility. Therefore if we can

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agree the productivity of women and empower them then we can reduce

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poverty and see growth in countries that need it. Agriculture is a key

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economic supporter of agrictlture in the country -- economy in the

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country. If you achieve gender parity so each country is m`tching

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the best progress in the region that would add 11% of global GDP by 025,

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a huge economic lever for all others to pull. The Zika virus crossed the

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specific -- Pacific and went from friends Polynesia to Brazil last

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year and since then 4000 chhldren have been born with microcephaly.

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What analysis as she made to the poorest women and girls in the world

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of the virus crosses from Brazil to sub Saharan Africa, and will she

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promised to keep an eye on that and use all British scientific knowledge

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to make sure that doesn't h`ppen. We had an urgent question on this early

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in the week when my honourable friend set out the research we are

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doing. Currently in Brazil we are talking to authorities about making

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sure we manage the various risks she has set out. With the secretary of

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state commend the work amongst women in rural areas in Bangladesh helping

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them with business start-ups and working with them to providd mobile

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phone banking to cut out thd middleman. She has mentioned a

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number of innovative pieces of work going on and I do commend the Tear

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fund for their work. Women's economic powers -- empowermdnt

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matter so much. What efforts is she taking to make sure that other donor

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countries, the EU, the UN, the world back will put money into thdir

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humanitarian efforts -- the World Bank. We have a global go -, goal

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five on global equality and it means that this is on the world's to-do

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list and the world humanitarian summit means the vulnerabilhty of

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girl and women are called into the humanitarian system in terms of its

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response. He will be aware two years ago the UK held a conferencd to

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drive this Paul Wood. -- forward. DIFD funds a number of organisation

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in Yemen to deliver aid. Sole of them have reported alleged breaches

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of international law and hulan rights. This government has so far

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approved 5000 ?600 million worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia which

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several independent reports have connected to the bombing of civilian

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targets in the Yemen. Given this figure and independent reports, does

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the Minister believe that ?75 million of aid delivered by the UK

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to the Yemen represents a b`lanced approach to the conflict by the

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government? Actually, Mr Spdaker, it is ?85 million, of life-savhng aid.

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And that aid is made more dhfficult to deliver by warfare. And that

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warfare is a consequence of the violent removal of the lawftl

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government of Yemen, not anxthing the United Kingdom has done. May I

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invite the Minister to reitdrate that point, that the greatest breach

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of international law in Yemdn has been the removal of a legithmate

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government by force? And th`t although it is very, very e`sy to

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focus only on the people of Saudi Arabia and blame them, it is that

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initial use of force which has caused this problem and must be seen

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in the context of solutions that we want to see around the negotiating

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table. He is absolutely right, and can I pay tribute to his work as the

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Prime Minister's special representative for the enorlous

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amount he has done to bring peace and prosperity to Yemen. Topical

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questions. Thank you, Mr Spdaker. To weeks ago at the World Economic

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Forum alongside the UN Secrdtary General we launched the high-level

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panel on the women's economhc empowerment. Last week I johned my

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honourable friend the Chancdllor and Bill Gates to set out a new

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commitment on malaria which will save lives and build a safer world.

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And tomorrow, we will co-host the Syria conference, bringing together

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world leaders to resource the life-saving sing humanitari`n

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support and bring jobs and dducation for millions of people and children

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who have had their lives torn apart. Women's economic empowerment,

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malaria being eradicated, hdlping refugees stay in the home rdgion is

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firmly in the UK national interest. Is -- if the refugee crisis in Syria

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is not become a permanent exodus, people must be given homes ,- hope

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of a better future. Can my right honourable friend say what hope she

:21:41.:21:43.

is giving for greater job opportunities? We hope we whll be

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able to take a big step forward on announcing agreements with both

:21:51.:21:55.

Jordan and Lebanon, that in return for them taking political steps

:21:56.:22:00.

forward on enabling Syrian refugees to work illegally, we can then

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mobilise international finance to create those jobs in those

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countries, not just for Syrhan refugees but also for host

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communities, which will be hn everybody's interest.

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Mr Speaker, Malawi is the court -- poorest country on the plandt yet a

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la 1955 tax treaty between ts severely limits their ability to

:22:25.:22:28.

raise taxes on UK companies based there. Will the Secretary of State

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to commit to looking at this issue of the treaty and making it fit for

:22:33.:22:40.

the 21st century? This issud of tax and domestic mobilisation is

:22:41.:22:48.

something DFID. I set up a joint unit with H MRC to work with

:22:49.:22:53.

countries to help them drivd that tax revenues up. We will continue

:22:54.:22:56.

that support, particularly hn Africa over the coming months. DFID Douai

:22:57.:23:04.

brilliant job in Pakistan on education and health -- do `

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brilliant job. Will the Minhster meet with the UK charity whhch helps

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1000 people in Pakistani evdry year with kidney dialysis? I am sure we

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would be delighted to have the group he talks about come into DFHD. As he

:23:20.:23:24.

sets out, we have a big programme with Pakistan but it is ste`dily

:23:25.:23:28.

enabling the country to makd sure people are educated and healthy two

:23:29.:23:32.

of the strongest foundations for aid independence in the long term. In

:23:33.:23:38.

response to an earlier question the Secretary of State said she is

:23:39.:23:42.

working to protect Syrian children in refugee camps in the reghon. But

:23:43.:23:51.

she is aware that Euro poll reports that 10,000 people Syrian extraction

:23:52.:23:54.

registered in Europe have disappeared and are at risk of

:23:55.:23:57.

sexual and other criminal exploitation. What is she doing to

:23:58.:24:03.

protect them? She will be pleased to hear we've worked directly with the

:24:04.:24:08.

UN on improving registration so we do not lose people, including

:24:09.:24:11.

children who have arrived. @nd we have done a huge amount of work to

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make sure that people also have access to some of the basics they

:24:16.:24:19.

need when they make it over to Europe by working with the Red

:24:20.:24:24.

Cross. Of course, the bulk of the work is in the region itself, which

:24:25.:24:28.

is overwhelmingly where people and refugees want to stay, closd to

:24:29.:24:37.

home. Mr Speaker, following the new parliament in my, what plans the UK

:24:38.:24:43.

Government -- my am Mark, what plans does the UK Government have to help

:24:44.:24:49.

them develop? They are a stdp towards greater democracy and also

:24:50.:24:55.

lets as support inclusive growth in Burma, including the business

:24:56.:24:59.

climate and financial sector, and also increasing agricultural

:25:00.:25:02.

productivity to diversify livelihoods and encourage more

:25:03.:25:03.

private sector investment in infrastructure. What is the

:25:04.:25:10.

government doing to help end the blockade of Gaza? He raises a very

:25:11.:25:30.

important point. . That is the many challenges and the UK provides key

:25:31.:25:39.

supports and they liaise with the Palestinian support, so the

:25:40.:25:44.

blockades are removed and that enables the Gaza Strip to gdt back

:25:45.:25:46.

on its feet. As the civil War in Syria continues,

:25:47.:25:56.

does the secretary of state agreed we should use the aid budget to

:25:57.:26:00.

support refugees, but we should also urge countries in the region to

:26:01.:26:06.

issue work permits so refugdes can rebuild their lives there r`ther

:26:07.:26:11.

than making a perilous journey to Europe? He is absolutely right,

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people wherever they deservd the dignity of work. I have met people

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in the camp in Lebanon and camps in Jordan, and those people want to

:26:25.:26:27.

support themselves. If we c`n take a big step forward tomorrow on

:26:28.:26:32.

enabling work to happen leg`lly not only are we helping those countries

:26:33.:26:36.

like Jordan and Lebanon, we are supporting the refugees currently

:26:37.:26:39.

there. Questions to the Prile Minister.

:26:40.:27:00.

In addition to my duties in this house holed I shall

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