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CHEERING
Order. Questions to the Secretary of | 0:00:00 | 0:00:12 | |
State for International Development,
Mr Peter Heaton-Jones. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:18 | |
International element secretary,
Penny Mordaunt. The UK Government | 0:00:18 | 0:00:22 | |
directly challenges other
governments who criminalised | 0:00:22 | 0:00:25 | |
homosexuality. We support LGBT
people through tackling exclusion | 0:00:25 | 0:00:29 | |
and violence against them, and
increasing their access to services. | 0:00:29 | 0:00:33 | |
LGBT inclusion has been included as
one of the eight priority areas | 0:00:33 | 0:00:37 | |
through DFID's UK connect programme.
I am grateful to the Secretary of | 0:00:37 | 0:00:45 | |
State for that answer. Does she
agree with me that having been part | 0:00:45 | 0:00:47 | |
of the Government that has led on
LGBT rights in the UK, but our | 0:00:47 | 0:00:52 | |
international aid programme now has
a significant part to play in taking | 0:00:52 | 0:01:04 | |
that leadership on the international
stage? Absolutely, I agree with my | 0:01:04 | 0:01:06 | |
honourable friend. I believe having
the freedom to be three wire and | 0:01:06 | 0:01:09 | |
reach full potential is vital if
nations are to reach their full | 0:01:09 | 0:01:11 | |
potential.
36 out of 53 Commonwealth countries | 0:01:11 | 0:01:15 | |
continue to criminalise
homosexuality. What conversation has | 0:01:15 | 0:01:19 | |
the Secretary of State had with her
Cabinet colleagues to use the UK's | 0:01:19 | 0:01:26 | |
role as host of job to champion LGBT
rights. We will take that | 0:01:26 | 0:01:33 | |
opportunity and other opportunities
with sessions with civil society and | 0:01:33 | 0:01:38 | |
the bilateral conversations that
will take place in that week and the | 0:01:38 | 0:01:41 | |
run up to it to raise all of these
issues. We have set a standard and | 0:01:41 | 0:01:46 | |
we can encourage people to follow
and through DFID's work and the | 0:01:46 | 0:01:50 | |
incentives we can provide as well,
we can provide other reasons for | 0:01:50 | 0:01:56 | |
countries to do the right thing.
Michael Fabricant. My right | 0:01:56 | 0:02:01 | |
honourable friend is right to
identify those countries who | 0:02:01 | 0:02:04 | |
criminalised people who are gay, but
what about those countries who | 0:02:04 | 0:02:09 | |
tolerate prejudice against gay
people. What can we do in those | 0:02:09 | 0:02:12 | |
cases? I think there are several
things that we can do to address | 0:02:12 | 0:02:17 | |
those issues. One of which is to
strengthen the voice of those | 0:02:17 | 0:02:21 | |
organisations which are highlighting
the abuse and the discrimination | 0:02:21 | 0:02:29 | |
that is going on. The new UK aid
connect programme will do that. It | 0:02:29 | 0:02:34 | |
will provide funding to civil
society groups to help us understand | 0:02:34 | 0:02:39 | |
what is happening in particular
locations, and what is needed to | 0:02:39 | 0:02:43 | |
address it. During the debris recess
I spent time in Uganda which has an | 0:02:43 | 0:02:49 | |
appalling record of treatment to
LGBT people. What is the department | 0:02:49 | 0:02:53 | |
doing to address that issue in
Uganda? My right honourable friend | 0:02:53 | 0:02:59 | |
the Minister for Africa is looking
at these issues. We have funding | 0:02:59 | 0:03:04 | |
agreements to work in particular
locations and where we see abuses | 0:03:04 | 0:03:08 | |
taking place we will not hesitate to
raise them with the Government. | 0:03:08 | 0:03:12 | |
Today is the final day of UK LGBT
history months and one of our last | 0:03:12 | 0:03:19 | |
thing legacies is exporting anti-gay
laws around the world with 36 out of | 0:03:19 | 0:03:25 | |
50 countries still criminalising
homosexuality. The upcoming summit | 0:03:25 | 0:03:31 | |
in April is a golden opportunity to
champion LGBT rights. Reports in the | 0:03:31 | 0:03:37 | |
Canadian press last night suggest
the heads of government communique | 0:03:37 | 0:03:40 | |
will likely not mention LGBT rights.
Will the Secretary of State discuss | 0:03:40 | 0:03:47 | |
what extra funding and assistant she
can provide to assure that we do not | 0:03:47 | 0:03:52 | |
give up on change in the
Commonwealth? Don't be disheartened. | 0:03:52 | 0:03:57 | |
It will still be an issue we will
raise. It is a strand of work going | 0:03:57 | 0:04:03 | |
on. In addition to the UK aid
connect programme, at the start of | 0:04:03 | 0:04:08 | |
the history week I did relaunch the
DFID LGBT network and I think | 0:04:08 | 0:04:16 | |
strengthening the support our staff
have two raise these issues and also | 0:04:16 | 0:04:20 | |
staff who LGBT themselves and we
required to work in country is | 0:04:20 | 0:04:27 | |
important for this agenda. If memory
serves correctly there are 28 heads | 0:04:27 | 0:04:34 | |
of Commonwealth in Westminster today
and tomorrow for a conference, so | 0:04:34 | 0:04:37 | |
colleagues might seek to lobby those
members and that would be a heaven | 0:04:37 | 0:04:41 | |
sent opportunity to do so. Rushanara
Ali. Question of the two, Mr | 0:04:41 | 0:04:49 | |
Speaker.
The UK is committed to meeting the | 0:04:49 | 0:04:53 | |
needs of displaced populations
including internally displaced | 0:04:53 | 0:04:55 | |
people. We are providing funding to
support countries through | 0:04:55 | 0:05:04 | |
humanitarian and longer-term
programmes. I thank the Minister for | 0:05:04 | 0:05:07 | |
her answer. The number of internally
displaced people have risen to 40 | 0:05:07 | 0:05:13 | |
million worldwide. What
representations has the Secretary of | 0:05:13 | 0:05:16 | |
State made to ensure that the UN
negotiations do not sideline the | 0:05:16 | 0:05:24 | |
needs of internally displaced
people? I thank the honourable lady | 0:05:24 | 0:05:28 | |
for raising this. IDPs due to
conflict and violence outnumber | 0:05:28 | 0:05:35 | |
refugees 2-to-1 but they have not
received the focus and profile they | 0:05:35 | 0:05:40 | |
need. There are moves to set up a
new panel looking at their | 0:05:40 | 0:05:47 | |
particular unique needs and DFID
will support them in that. | 0:05:47 | 0:05:52 | |
Internally displaced people are some
of the most vulnerable people in the | 0:05:52 | 0:05:55 | |
world and we have heard a lot
recently about charities who are | 0:05:55 | 0:05:59 | |
abusing the most vulnerable people
in the world. Has my right | 0:05:59 | 0:06:03 | |
honourable friend seen the Telegraph
today which talks about the BBC | 0:06:03 | 0:06:07 | |
World Service and their charitable
arm, headed by the director of news | 0:06:07 | 0:06:13 | |
who is overseeing sexual harassment
and inappropriate behaviour, which | 0:06:13 | 0:06:18 | |
is totally wrong in this field. Very
wrong but the answer must now focus | 0:06:18 | 0:06:27 | |
on internally displaced people.
Secretary of State. The honourable | 0:06:27 | 0:06:30 | |
lady is right to point out that one
reason why we must be very good on | 0:06:30 | 0:06:36 | |
safeguarding and not dismiss these
issues is to protect those | 0:06:36 | 0:06:39 | |
individuals. The BBC did not report
those incidents to us at the time. | 0:06:39 | 0:06:44 | |
My letter to them of two weeks ago
has got them to come forward with | 0:06:44 | 0:06:51 | |
that information. I think that is a
good thing and we need to grip this | 0:06:51 | 0:06:55 | |
problem and deliver for vulnerable
people around the world. Many | 0:06:55 | 0:07:00 | |
thousands of people are displaced
from their homes in Syria. What is | 0:07:00 | 0:07:05 | |
the Secretary of State doing to
demonstrate to those people and | 0:07:05 | 0:07:08 | |
every other civilian in Syria that
the British government has not given | 0:07:08 | 0:07:13 | |
up on them? We have not given up on
them, and we are working in | 0:07:13 | 0:07:17 | |
particular with the governments of
Jordan and Lebanon to provide those | 0:07:17 | 0:07:21 | |
people would support, not just over
the short-term but the long-term as | 0:07:21 | 0:07:29 | |
well. DFID has moved its priority to
looking at long-term support for | 0:07:29 | 0:07:34 | |
these individuals and we remain the
third largest donor support them. | 0:07:34 | 0:07:41 | |
Hundreds of thousands of Ranger have
been internally displaced and fled | 0:07:41 | 0:07:44 | |
across the border as well --
Rohingya. What dialogue is the | 0:07:44 | 0:07:51 | |
Government having with the Burmese
government about the fact that the | 0:07:51 | 0:07:54 | |
Rohingya are being constantly
persecuted in Burma and driven out | 0:07:54 | 0:08:01 | |
by genocide? With your indulgence,
Mr Speaker, I would like to raise my | 0:08:01 | 0:08:05 | |
concern that the select committee
have not been given access to Burma. | 0:08:05 | 0:08:09 | |
I think that is disgraceful. But I
can assure the honourable lady that | 0:08:09 | 0:08:15 | |
I am having regular discussions with
all parts of government and | 0:08:15 | 0:08:19 | |
Bangladesh and Burma about support
to these individuals. It is vital | 0:08:19 | 0:08:22 | |
that we get the Bangladesh
government to look at the | 0:08:22 | 0:08:26 | |
medium-term in breaking down this
and making sure the priority for us | 0:08:26 | 0:08:35 | |
are those people who have been
displaced. Psion macro I concur that | 0:08:35 | 0:08:40 | |
it is disgraceful and this matter
will be raised by the honourable | 0:08:40 | 0:08:43 | |
gentleman later in our proceedings.
The UN estimates that 6.1 million | 0:08:43 | 0:08:54 | |
civilians are internally displaced
and with fighting in Ghouta, this | 0:08:54 | 0:08:58 | |
number will rise. What is the
department doing to support | 0:08:58 | 0:09:01 | |
displaced Syrian families whose
needs and challenges are increasing | 0:09:01 | 0:09:06 | |
with every passing day? We have a
huge number of programmes which are | 0:09:06 | 0:09:12 | |
supporting those people in
particular, not just for short-term | 0:09:12 | 0:09:17 | |
needs, shelter, food and so forth,
but also education and jobs and | 0:09:17 | 0:09:23 | |
livelihoods. I would also say that
these individuals have some unique | 0:09:23 | 0:09:27 | |
needs that have not been addressed
to date with as much focus from the | 0:09:27 | 0:09:33 | |
international community and setting
up a panel to look at those needs | 0:09:33 | 0:09:37 | |
and what more we can do to help in
similar situations would be a big | 0:09:37 | 0:09:40 | |
step forward. Minister of State,
Alistair Burt. We are concerned on | 0:09:40 | 0:09:48 | |
activities whenever an expected
reductions or delays in donor | 0:09:48 | 0:09:55 | |
disbursements occur. I raised this
with an official last week and our | 0:09:55 | 0:09:59 | |
officials are collaborating with US
and other donors to maintain vital | 0:09:59 | 0:10:03 | |
across the region. | 0:10:03 | 0:10:08 | |
Half a million Palestinian children
and schools funded by the relief | 0:10:08 | 0:10:15 | |
agency, has that been explained to
the US administration as well as the | 0:10:15 | 0:10:22 | |
impact of the $6 million funding.
Yes. It has been clearly explained | 0:10:22 | 0:10:33 | |
to US officials what the impact of
the funding may be, particularly in | 0:10:33 | 0:10:38 | |
Jordan, Lebanon and places where
Palestinian refugees are supported. | 0:10:38 | 0:10:41 | |
We have supplied millions of pounds
to assist in the provision of | 0:10:41 | 0:10:48 | |
education and will continue to do
so. Does my right honourable friend | 0:10:48 | 0:10:54 | |
agree that while the agreement
between Palestinian authorities and | 0:10:54 | 0:10:58 | |
how mass Hamas, to improve the lives
of all people in Gaza we should this | 0:10:58 | 0:11:12 | |
arm Hamas. Their failure to resolve
issues in relation to Israel. The | 0:11:12 | 0:11:23 | |
people of Gaza have suffered from a
number of different things. We will | 0:11:23 | 0:11:29 | |
continue to work towards that. The
International tournament committee | 0:11:29 | 0:11:36 | |
saw the brilliant work in Jordan.
Will the government worked with | 0:11:36 | 0:11:41 | |
other countries to make up the
funding shortfall after this | 0:11:41 | 0:11:45 | |
outrageous cut from the Trump
administration? We're working with | 0:11:45 | 0:11:50 | |
other donors on this. I saw the
director-general just last week. We | 0:11:50 | 0:11:56 | |
know how much they do in the area.
The education projects that you | 0:11:56 | 0:12:02 | |
mention are particularly valuable.
Other donors must step up as well | 0:12:02 | 0:12:05 | |
and we will continue to be generous
in our support. What representations | 0:12:05 | 0:12:19 | |
has he made to make sure that the
funding can be restored? I have | 0:12:19 | 0:12:23 | |
spoken to US officials recently. It
is important that the work | 0:12:23 | 0:12:32 | |
continues. It needs to be done. It
delivers good quality services and | 0:12:32 | 0:12:35 | |
will continue to provide. United
Kingdom aids to the Palestinian | 0:12:35 | 0:12:49 | |
Authority goes only to the salaries
of health and education workers in | 0:12:49 | 0:12:53 | |
the West Bank, a memorandum of
understanding with the PA, I | 0:12:53 | 0:12:58 | |
recently urged Augustinian ministers
to remain focused on this. President | 0:12:58 | 0:13:05 | |
Abbas recently affirmed his
assurance to peace. Last year the | 0:13:05 | 0:13:19 | |
Palestinian Authority reportedly
paid over 250 million in monthly | 0:13:19 | 0:13:23 | |
salaries to terrorists in Israeli
prisons were 7% of its budget and an | 0:13:23 | 0:13:32 | |
astonishing 50% of its foreign aid
receipts. These salaries directly | 0:13:32 | 0:13:37 | |
reward terrorism. Does the Minister
agree with me that these payments | 0:13:37 | 0:13:41 | |
are apparent and must cease? We have
made constant representations to | 0:13:41 | 0:13:47 | |
Palestinian authorities about the
impacts of any incitement to terror | 0:13:47 | 0:13:51 | |
and payments to terror. Palestinian
authorities are well aware of our | 0:13:51 | 0:13:56 | |
views and opinions on this. That is
why no UK aid money goes to support | 0:13:56 | 0:14:00 | |
terrorism. Is the Minister aware of
the 2014 initiative where a | 0:14:00 | 0:14:10 | |
tripartite committee was recommended
involving the Palestinians, the | 0:14:10 | 0:14:14 | |
Israelis and chaired by the United
States to identify and to tackle it. | 0:14:14 | 0:14:21 | |
It was accepted by the Palestinians
and United States but rejected by | 0:14:21 | 0:14:27 | |
Israel. Does the Minister agree with
me that that rejection was not in | 0:14:27 | 0:14:31 | |
the interest of peace? Yes, I am
aware of the proposal and the | 0:14:31 | 0:14:37 | |
possible initiative. It seems to me
in the region there is much need to | 0:14:37 | 0:14:40 | |
do whatever is possible to bring
people together to examine these | 0:14:40 | 0:14:45 | |
areas. States have their own reasons
why they may or may not agree to do | 0:14:45 | 0:14:48 | |
so but making sure there is more
work on coexistence will help in | 0:14:48 | 0:14:52 | |
relation to this. We will continue
our work to make sure all parties | 0:14:52 | 0:14:56 | |
know how important it is to resolve
their issues that many of the things | 0:14:56 | 0:15:00 | |
that occupy this House over a
lengthy period of time can be | 0:15:00 | 0:15:04 | |
brought to inclusion in the of peace
and justice. It's vital that aid | 0:15:04 | 0:15:14 | |
spending the liver is rigorous value
for money and is well spent. My | 0:15:14 | 0:15:18 | |
right honourable friend has said
that we must ensure it cannot be | 0:15:18 | 0:15:22 | |
better spent. All projects are
measured against a robust framework | 0:15:22 | 0:15:28 | |
to make sure they are
cost-effective. I'd like to thank | 0:15:28 | 0:15:32 | |
the Minister for her answer. I'm
sure she will agree with me that she | 0:15:32 | 0:15:36 | |
constantly has to justify to the
electorate the amount of money that | 0:15:36 | 0:15:39 | |
is spent overseas. With this in
mind, what steps are being taken to | 0:15:39 | 0:15:43 | |
ensure that the more the equipment
is being utilised is British and | 0:15:43 | 0:15:47 | |
more the NGOs being used to carry
out the work are British and the | 0:15:47 | 0:15:52 | |
Armed Forces are also involved in
helping these projects. You are | 0:15:52 | 0:16:00 | |
absolutely right to highlight the
important role that the Armed Forces | 0:16:00 | 0:16:02 | |
have played, not only in tackling
the Ebola disease in Sierra Leone | 0:16:02 | 0:16:08 | |
but also in tackling the hurricane
in the Caribbean. As he will know, | 0:16:08 | 0:16:15 | |
both my self and the Secretary of
State were both former ministers in | 0:16:15 | 0:16:21 | |
the area of defence. I was concerned
to read that £160,000 of the 5.8 | 0:16:21 | 0:16:28 | |
million pounds in UK aid spent in
Venezuela was being used to training | 0:16:28 | 0:16:35 | |
their repressive security services.
I understand this was under review | 0:16:35 | 0:16:38 | |
last summer. Can the Minister of
data is on the latest? My | 0:16:38 | 0:16:44 | |
understanding in terms of the very
small amount of spending that | 0:16:44 | 0:16:48 | |
happens in Venezuela is that it is
to support human rights | 0:16:48 | 0:16:52 | |
organisations and to support the
British Council's work with | 0:16:52 | 0:16:54 | |
education. I will make sure that
that is not the case. I thank the | 0:16:54 | 0:17:01 | |
Minister for her answer. Can I ask
how the Minister believes that we | 0:17:01 | 0:17:06 | |
can win back public support for what
it does if she believes that the | 0:17:06 | 0:17:11 | |
best way of spending aid money is
through the Armed Forces? More | 0:17:11 | 0:17:18 | |
outsourcing to the private sector
and less an actual poverty | 0:17:18 | 0:17:21 | |
reduction? Does the Minister not see
that this will add a misperception | 0:17:21 | 0:17:26 | |
on the growing doubt on who is best
placed to deliver aid? Well, Mr | 0:17:26 | 0:17:32 | |
Speaker, I'm sorry that she did not
welcome the amazing work that we are | 0:17:32 | 0:17:36 | |
doing through the delivery of
international aid through so many | 0:17:36 | 0:17:40 | |
different organisations, whether it
is in partnership, as she seems to | 0:17:40 | 0:17:47 | |
resent, with our colleagues in the
conflict in stability and security | 0:17:47 | 0:17:53 | |
funds but also, Mr Speaker, in
working with colleagues in the | 0:17:53 | 0:17:56 | |
health service for example, in terms
of their amazing response to the | 0:17:56 | 0:18:01 | |
outbreak of disease in camps in the
Rohingya Muslim... With permission | 0:18:01 | 0:18:12 | |
Mr Speaker, I will answer questions
six and 14 together. I regularly | 0:18:12 | 0:18:16 | |
discuss refugee issues with Cabinet
colleagues and the Home Office. We | 0:18:16 | 0:18:22 | |
have committed to resettle 20,000
refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict | 0:18:22 | 0:18:29 | |
and 3000 vulnerable children and
their families from the Middle East | 0:18:29 | 0:18:32 | |
and North Africa. Providing
life-saving aid, jobs and stability | 0:18:32 | 0:18:37 | |
to refugees globally. Will the
Secretary of State urged the | 0:18:37 | 0:18:43 | |
government to back next month's
Private members Bill and but the | 0:18:43 | 0:18:46 | |
humanity of migrants and the
importance of family life at the | 0:18:46 | 0:18:51 | |
heart of the government's
immigration policy? Obviously the | 0:18:51 | 0:18:57 | |
mandate resettlement scheme allows
for that to happen and there is no | 0:18:57 | 0:19:01 | |
quota or cap on that. I am keen to
see we can improve things, I'm all | 0:19:01 | 0:19:08 | |
is open to that on any issues, but I
hope we can do these things without | 0:19:08 | 0:19:12 | |
primary legislation. Mr Speaker, I
suspect most people will agree with | 0:19:12 | 0:19:17 | |
the home affairs committee when they
say and I quote, it is perverse that | 0:19:17 | 0:19:22 | |
children who are being granted
refugee status are not allowed to | 0:19:22 | 0:19:25 | |
bring their close family to join.
Does the Secretary State agree? It | 0:19:25 | 0:19:31 | |
is loud in the chamber but I think
the honourable gentleman is talking | 0:19:31 | 0:19:35 | |
about why can't children allow their
parents to join them. There are some | 0:19:35 | 0:19:42 | |
very technical reasons why that we
think would be a bad idea but I am | 0:19:42 | 0:19:46 | |
looking at ways that we can actually
get good things to happen, for | 0:19:46 | 0:19:52 | |
example, with the Rohingya crisis
that is there at the moment, where | 0:19:52 | 0:19:56 | |
there is some barriers to good
things happening there, identifying | 0:19:56 | 0:20:00 | |
people and so forth, we're working
with the Home Office to address | 0:20:00 | 0:20:04 | |
these issues. If the honourable
gentleman has suggestions would like | 0:20:04 | 0:20:08 | |
to hear them. Will my right
honourable friends join me in | 0:20:08 | 0:20:11 | |
welcoming refugee action's new
campaign stand up for asylum | 0:20:11 | 0:20:16 | |
launched today which reminds us of
the importance of providing a safe | 0:20:16 | 0:20:20 | |
haven for those in genuine need? I
thank the honourable lady for | 0:20:20 | 0:20:26 | |
drawing attention to that report. I
do welcome it. I look forward to | 0:20:26 | 0:20:31 | |
reading it. We should be very proud
of the asylum system that we have | 0:20:31 | 0:20:37 | |
protecting individuals around the
world. The UK simply cannot speak | 0:20:37 | 0:20:44 | |
with any authority on tackling the
refugee crisis in till we get our | 0:20:44 | 0:20:50 | |
own house in order. Time and again
this government's International the | 0:20:50 | 0:20:53 | |
relevant policy is held back by what
other government departments are | 0:20:53 | 0:20:58 | |
doing. Tax deals that hurt
developing countries, arms deals in | 0:20:58 | 0:21:03 | |
Yemen... Will the Secretary of State
and the Leave urge her government to | 0:21:03 | 0:21:09 | |
put an end to this contradiction and
gets refugee children reunited with | 0:21:09 | 0:21:15 | |
their families? In addition to the
answer that I gave her honourable | 0:21:15 | 0:21:21 | |
colleague a moment ago, the speech I
made at the conference on Monday | 0:21:21 | 0:21:24 | |
highlighted that we cannot do
International double and well unless | 0:21:24 | 0:21:28 | |
we are also doing it in accordance
with British values. I think we do | 0:21:28 | 0:21:33 | |
have a good track record as a nation
on this and we have a good track | 0:21:33 | 0:21:36 | |
nation as a government on this. I'm
always keen to see how we can make | 0:21:36 | 0:21:42 | |
improvements. On the 20th of
February, I informed this House that | 0:21:42 | 0:21:53 | |
I had asked all charities receiving
UK aid to give me safeguards... I | 0:21:53 | 0:22:03 | |
receive 161 responses, my officials
are now analysing those with | 0:22:03 | 0:22:08 | |
independent oversight and we have
shed returns with the Charity | 0:22:08 | 0:22:11 | |
commission. A number of
organisations, unbelievably, Mr | 0:22:11 | 0:22:15 | |
Speaker, have not replied. We are
following up but without compelling | 0:22:15 | 0:22:19 | |
justification they will have lost
our confidence. And we will consider | 0:22:19 | 0:22:23 | |
whether it is right to continue
their funding. I will continue to | 0:22:23 | 0:22:28 | |
share my findings on the 5th of
March and I will keep this has | 0:22:28 | 0:22:33 | |
informed. Single sentence, please.
Is the Minister confident that | 0:22:33 | 0:22:38 | |
Britain will remain a world leader
in humanitarian aid following the | 0:22:38 | 0:22:42 | |
departure of the European Union? I
am. And I think when we have further | 0:22:42 | 0:22:46 | |
control over the money we are
spending then we will undoubtedly | 0:22:46 | 0:22:51 | |
work still with European partners
and we will echo that that will be a | 0:22:51 | 0:22:54 | |
very good thing indeed. Thank you,
Mr Speaker. We have been sitting | 0:22:54 | 0:23:01 | |
outside Westminster tube station to
raise awareness, what is the | 0:23:01 | 0:23:07 | |
department doing for those who
suffer from rare diseases in | 0:23:07 | 0:23:10 | |
developing countries to make sure
they are not left behind? We spent | 0:23:10 | 0:23:15 | |
about £1 billion with our own health
service, with Public Health England, | 0:23:15 | 0:23:20 | |
into the Fleming funds and other
research funds, pioneering research | 0:23:20 | 0:23:26 | |
that UK research is funding. It is
saving lives overseas and combating | 0:23:26 | 0:23:31 | |
rare diseases but also the results
of that are helping British citizens | 0:23:31 | 0:23:34 | |
as well. 90% of the plastic entering
our oceans is carried by just ten | 0:23:34 | 0:23:41 | |
rivers in Africa and Asia. What is
the government doing to help some of | 0:23:41 | 0:23:45 | |
the poorest countries in the world
tackle this global problem? My | 0:23:45 | 0:23:51 | |
department is assisting developing
countries to improve waste | 0:23:51 | 0:23:54 | |
management which includes avoiding
plastic ending up in the ocean | 0:23:54 | 0:23:59 | |
through multilateral funds. We are
also working with deaf on some new | 0:23:59 | 0:24:08 | |
projects to see what we can do in
line with the 25 year develop | 0:24:08 | 0:24:11 | |
relevant plan. I don't usually get
that reception. The South Sudanese | 0:24:11 | 0:24:23 | |
government is preventing some NGOs
such as Christian Aid providing aid | 0:24:23 | 0:24:28 | |
to those desperately need it. What
more can be done to pressure these | 0:24:28 | 0:24:37 | |
governments to allow the charities
access? The honourable lady is | 0:24:37 | 0:24:41 | |
absolutely right. It is a scandal
that the South Sudanese government | 0:24:41 | 0:24:45 | |
are charging NGOs to deliver aid.
The aid is getting through. I think | 0:24:45 | 0:24:50 | |
she paid tribute to the people who
are delivering it. But we are | 0:24:50 | 0:24:53 | |
putting pressure on the government
to allow easy access for | 0:24:53 | 0:24:56 | |
humanitarian aid. Following on from
my recent Prime Minister's question, | 0:24:56 | 0:25:03 | |
will the Minister consider whether
there will be a fixed percentage on | 0:25:03 | 0:25:11 | |
international aids to tackling
persecution? My honourable friend | 0:25:11 | 0:25:15 | |
deserves tribute on the way she
raises this issue. Since the United | 0:25:15 | 0:25:22 | |
Nations declaration of human rights,
it is a scandal that almost three | 0:25:22 | 0:25:24 | |
quarters of the world's population
live in countries that restrict | 0:25:24 | 0:25:30 | |
freedoms. We do not restrict the
percentage but... Many of the | 0:25:30 | 0:25:37 | |
Rohingya refugees and unaccompanied
children are at risk from | 0:25:37 | 0:25:41 | |
traffickers. Can the Minister update
the House on the support that the UK | 0:25:41 | 0:25:45 | |
is providing to these children? We
are doing many things to provide | 0:25:45 | 0:25:52 | |
support to those children, not just
in the immediate aftermath in a | 0:25:52 | 0:25:55 | |
situation they are facing but also
ensure and protects they don't fall | 0:25:55 | 0:25:59 | |
victim to organised crime later on
down the line. There are many things | 0:25:59 | 0:26:06 | |
that we are doing under the compact
but also in the new panel that I | 0:26:06 | 0:26:14 | |
have alluded to today. Will my right
honourable friend agree that | 0:26:14 | 0:26:19 | |
providing jobs and livelihoods for
alternatively displaced people | 0:26:19 | 0:26:23 | |
wherever they may be are equally
important as providing relief aid. I | 0:26:23 | 0:26:28 | |
do agree of my honourable friend and
that is why the department has | 0:26:28 | 0:26:31 | |
shifted its funding focus. Stability
is clearly key to delivering aid in | 0:26:31 | 0:26:43 | |
Yemen. The council pays to be
providing some stability. | 0:26:43 | 0:26:59 | |
We have no direct contact with that
council. We do work the partners in | 0:27:01 | 0:27:05 | |
the south of Yemen but importantly
we hope that the appointment of the | 0:27:05 | 0:27:09 | |
new UN special envoy Martin
Griffiths with contacts through | 0:27:09 | 0:27:12 | |
Yemen | 0:27:12 | 0:27:12 |