Live International Development Questions House of Commons

CHEERING

Order. Questions to the Secretary of

State for International Development,

Mr Peter Heaton-Jones.

International element secretary,

Penny Mordaunt.

The UK Government

directly challenges other

governments who criminalised

homosexuality. We support LGBT

people through tackling exclusion

and violence against them, and

increasing their access to services.

LGBT inclusion has been included as

one of the eight priority areas

through DFID's UK connect programme.

I am grateful to the Secretary of

State for that answer. Does she

agree with me that having been part

of the Government that has led on

LGBT rights in the UK, but our

international aid programme now has

a significant part to play in taking

that leadership on the international

stage?

Absolutely, I agree with my

honourable friend. I believe having

the freedom to be three wire and

reach full potential is vital if

nations are to reach their full

potential.

36 out of 53 Commonwealth countries

continue to criminalise

homosexuality. What conversation has

the Secretary of State had with her

Cabinet colleagues to use the UK's

role as host of job to champion LGBT

rights.

We will take that

opportunity and other opportunities

with sessions with civil society and

the bilateral conversations that

will take place in that week and the

run up to it to raise all of these

issues. We have set a standard and

we can encourage people to follow

and through DFID's work and the

incentives we can provide as well,

we can provide other reasons for

countries to do the right thing.

Michael Fabricant.

My right

honourable friend is right to

identify those countries who

criminalised people who are gay, but

what about those countries who

tolerate prejudice against gay

people. What can we do in those

cases?

I think there are several

things that we can do to address

those issues. One of which is to

strengthen the voice of those

organisations which are highlighting

the abuse and the discrimination

that is going on. The new UK aid

connect programme will do that. It

will provide funding to civil

society groups to help us understand

what is happening in particular

locations, and what is needed to

address it.

During the debris recess

I spent time in Uganda which has an

appalling record of treatment to

LGBT people. What is the department

doing to address that issue in

Uganda?

My right honourable friend

the Minister for Africa is looking

at these issues. We have funding

agreements to work in particular

locations and where we see abuses

taking place we will not hesitate to

raise them with the Government.

Today is the final day of UK LGBT

history months and one of our last

thing legacies is exporting anti-gay

laws around the world with 36 out of

50 countries still criminalising

homosexuality. The upcoming summit

in April is a golden opportunity to

champion LGBT rights. Reports in the

Canadian press last night suggest

the heads of government communique

will likely not mention LGBT rights.

Will the Secretary of State discuss

what extra funding and assistant she

can provide to assure that we do not

give up on change in the

Commonwealth?

Don't be disheartened.

It will still be an issue we will

raise. It is a strand of work going

on. In addition to the UK aid

connect programme, at the start of

the history week I did relaunch the

DFID LGBT network and I think

strengthening the support our staff

have two raise these issues and also

staff who LGBT themselves and we

required to work in country is

important for this agenda.

If memory

serves correctly there are 28 heads

of Commonwealth in Westminster today

and tomorrow for a conference, so

colleagues might seek to lobby those

members and that would be a heaven

sent opportunity to do so. Rushanara

Ali.

Question of the two, Mr

Speaker.

The UK is committed to meeting the

needs of displaced populations

including internally displaced

people. We are providing funding to

support countries through

humanitarian and longer-term

programmes.

I thank the Minister for

her answer. The number of internally

displaced people have risen to 40

million worldwide. What

representations has the Secretary of

State made to ensure that the UN

negotiations do not sideline the

needs of internally displaced

people?

I thank the honourable lady

for raising this. IDPs due to

conflict and violence outnumber

refugees 2-to-1 but they have not

received the focus and profile they

need. There are moves to set up a

new panel looking at their

particular unique needs and DFID

will support them in that.

Internally displaced people are some

of the most vulnerable people in the

world and we have heard a lot

recently about charities who are

abusing the most vulnerable people

in the world. Has my right

honourable friend seen the Telegraph

today which talks about the BBC

World Service and their charitable

arm, headed by the director of news

who is overseeing sexual harassment

and inappropriate behaviour, which

is totally wrong in this field.

Very

wrong but the answer must now focus

on internally displaced people.

Secretary of State.

The honourable

lady is right to point out that one

reason why we must be very good on

safeguarding and not dismiss these

issues is to protect those

individuals. The BBC did not report

those incidents to us at the time.

My letter to them of two weeks ago

has got them to come forward with

that information. I think that is a

good thing and we need to grip this

problem and deliver for vulnerable

people around the world.

Many

thousands of people are displaced

from their homes in Syria. What is

the Secretary of State doing to

demonstrate to those people and

every other civilian in Syria that

the British government has not given

up on them?

We have not given up on

them, and we are working in

particular with the governments of

Jordan and Lebanon to provide those

people would support, not just over

the short-term but the long-term as

well. DFID has moved its priority to

looking at long-term support for

these individuals and we remain the

third largest donor support them.

Hundreds of thousands of Ranger have

been internally displaced and fled

across the border as well --

Rohingya. What dialogue is the

Government having with the Burmese

government about the fact that the

Rohingya are being constantly

persecuted in Burma and driven out

by genocide?

With your indulgence,

Mr Speaker, I would like to raise my

concern that the select committee

have not been given access to Burma.

I think that is disgraceful. But I

can assure the honourable lady that

I am having regular discussions with

all parts of government and

Bangladesh and Burma about support

to these individuals. It is vital

that we get the Bangladesh

government to look at the

medium-term in breaking down this

and making sure the priority for us

are those people who have been

displaced. Psion macro I concur that

it is disgraceful and this matter

will be raised by the honourable

gentleman later in our proceedings.

The UN estimates that 6.1 million

civilians are internally displaced

and with fighting in Ghouta, this

number will rise. What is the

department doing to support

displaced Syrian families whose

needs and challenges are increasing

with every passing day?

We have a

huge number of programmes which are

supporting those people in

particular, not just for short-term

needs, shelter, food and so forth,

but also education and jobs and

livelihoods. I would also say that

these individuals have some unique

needs that have not been addressed

to date with as much focus from the

international community and setting

up a panel to look at those needs

and what more we can do to help in

similar situations would be a big

step forward.

Minister of State,

Alistair Burt.

We are concerned on

activities whenever an expected

reductions or delays in donor

disbursements occur. I raised this

with an official last week and our

officials are collaborating with US

and other donors to maintain vital

across the region.

Half a million Palestinian children

and schools funded by the relief

agency, has that been explained to

the US administration as well as the

impact of the $6 million funding.

Yes. It has been clearly explained

to US officials what the impact of

the funding may be, particularly in

Jordan, Lebanon and places where

Palestinian refugees are supported.

We have supplied millions of pounds

to assist in the provision of

education and will continue to do

so.

Does my right honourable friend

agree that while the agreement

between Palestinian authorities and

how mass Hamas, to improve the lives

of all people in Gaza we should this

arm Hamas. Their failure to resolve

issues in relation to Israel.

The

people of Gaza have suffered from a

number of different things. We will

continue to work towards that.

The

International tournament committee

saw the brilliant work in Jordan.

Will the government worked with

other countries to make up the

funding shortfall after this

outrageous cut from the Trump

administration?

We're working with

other donors on this. I saw the

director-general just last week. We

know how much they do in the area.

The education projects that you

mention are particularly valuable.

Other donors must step up as well

and we will continue to be generous

in our support.

What representations

has he made to make sure that the

funding can be restored?

I have

spoken to US officials recently. It

is important that the work

continues. It needs to be done. It

delivers good quality services and

will continue to provide.

United

Kingdom aids to the Palestinian

Authority goes only to the salaries

of health and education workers in

the West Bank, a memorandum of

understanding with the PA, I

recently urged Augustinian ministers

to remain focused on this. President

Abbas recently affirmed his

assurance to peace.

Last year the

Palestinian Authority reportedly

paid over 250 million in monthly

salaries to terrorists in Israeli

prisons were 7% of its budget and an

astonishing 50% of its foreign aid

receipts. These salaries directly

reward terrorism. Does the Minister

agree with me that these payments

are apparent and must cease?

We have

made constant representations to

Palestinian authorities about the

impacts of any incitement to terror

and payments to terror. Palestinian

authorities are well aware of our

views and opinions on this. That is

why no UK aid money goes to support

terrorism.

Is the Minister aware of

the 2014 initiative where a

tripartite committee was recommended

involving the Palestinians, the

Israelis and chaired by the United

States to identify and to tackle it.

It was accepted by the Palestinians

and United States but rejected by

Israel. Does the Minister agree with

me that that rejection was not in

the interest of peace?

Yes, I am

aware of the proposal and the

possible initiative. It seems to me

in the region there is much need to

do whatever is possible to bring

people together to examine these

areas. States have their own reasons

why they may or may not agree to do

so but making sure there is more

work on coexistence will help in

relation to this. We will continue

our work to make sure all parties

know how important it is to resolve

their issues that many of the things

that occupy this House over a

lengthy period of time can be

brought to inclusion in the of peace

and justice.

It's vital that aid

spending the liver is rigorous value

for money and is well spent. My

right honourable friend has said

that we must ensure it cannot be

better spent. All projects are

measured against a robust framework

to make sure they are

cost-effective.

I'd like to thank

the Minister for her answer. I'm

sure she will agree with me that she

constantly has to justify to the

electorate the amount of money that

is spent overseas. With this in

mind, what steps are being taken to

ensure that the more the equipment

is being utilised is British and

more the NGOs being used to carry

out the work are British and the

Armed Forces are also involved in

helping these projects.

You are

absolutely right to highlight the

important role that the Armed Forces

have played, not only in tackling

the Ebola disease in Sierra Leone

but also in tackling the hurricane

in the Caribbean. As he will know,

both my self and the Secretary of

State were both former ministers in

the area of defence.

I was concerned

to read that £160,000 of the 5.8

million pounds in UK aid spent in

Venezuela was being used to training

their repressive security services.

I understand this was under review

last summer. Can the Minister of

data is on the latest?

My

understanding in terms of the very

small amount of spending that

happens in Venezuela is that it is

to support human rights

organisations and to support the

British Council's work with

education. I will make sure that

that is not the case.

I thank the

Minister for her answer. Can I ask

how the Minister believes that we

can win back public support for what

it does if she believes that the

best way of spending aid money is

through the Armed Forces? More

outsourcing to the private sector

and less an actual poverty

reduction? Does the Minister not see

that this will add a misperception

on the growing doubt on who is best

placed to deliver aid?

Well, Mr

Speaker, I'm sorry that she did not

welcome the amazing work that we are

doing through the delivery of

international aid through so many

different organisations, whether it

is in partnership, as she seems to

resent, with our colleagues in the

conflict in stability and security

funds but also, Mr Speaker, in

working with colleagues in the

health service for example, in terms

of their amazing response to the

outbreak of disease in camps in the

Rohingya Muslim...

With permission

Mr Speaker, I will answer questions

six and 14 together. I regularly

discuss refugee issues with Cabinet

colleagues and the Home Office. We

have committed to resettle 20,000

refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict

and 3000 vulnerable children and

their families from the Middle East

and North Africa. Providing

life-saving aid, jobs and stability

to refugees globally.

Will the

Secretary of State urged the

government to back next month's

Private members Bill and but the

humanity of migrants and the

importance of family life at the

heart of the government's

immigration policy?

Obviously the

mandate resettlement scheme allows

for that to happen and there is no

quota or cap on that. I am keen to

see we can improve things, I'm all

is open to that on any issues, but I

hope we can do these things without

primary legislation.

Mr Speaker, I

suspect most people will agree with

the home affairs committee when they

say and I quote, it is perverse that

children who are being granted

refugee status are not allowed to

bring their close family to join.

Does the Secretary State agree?

It

is loud in the chamber but I think

the honourable gentleman is talking

about why can't children allow their

parents to join them. There are some

very technical reasons why that we

think would be a bad idea but I am

looking at ways that we can actually

get good things to happen, for

example, with the Rohingya crisis

that is there at the moment, where

there is some barriers to good

things happening there, identifying

people and so forth, we're working

with the Home Office to address

these issues. If the honourable

gentleman has suggestions would like

to hear them.

Will my right

honourable friends join me in

welcoming refugee action's new

campaign stand up for asylum

launched today which reminds us of

the importance of providing a safe

haven for those in genuine need?

I

thank the honourable lady for

drawing attention to that report. I

do welcome it. I look forward to

reading it. We should be very proud

of the asylum system that we have

protecting individuals around the

world.

The UK simply cannot speak

with any authority on tackling the

refugee crisis in till we get our

own house in order. Time and again

this government's International the

relevant policy is held back by what

other government departments are

doing. Tax deals that hurt

developing countries, arms deals in

Yemen... Will the Secretary of State

and the Leave urge her government to

put an end to this contradiction and

gets refugee children reunited with

their families?

In addition to the

answer that I gave her honourable

colleague a moment ago, the speech I

made at the conference on Monday

highlighted that we cannot do

International double and well unless

we are also doing it in accordance

with British values. I think we do

have a good track record as a nation

on this and we have a good track

nation as a government on this. I'm

always keen to see how we can make

improvements.

On the 20th of

February, I informed this House that

I had asked all charities receiving

UK aid to give me safeguards... I

receive 161 responses, my officials

are now analysing those with

independent oversight and we have

shed returns with the Charity

commission. A number of

organisations, unbelievably, Mr

Speaker, have not replied. We are

following up but without compelling

justification they will have lost

our confidence. And we will consider

whether it is right to continue

their funding. I will continue to

share my findings on the 5th of

March and I will keep this has

informed.

Single sentence, please.

Is the Minister confident that

Britain will remain a world leader

in humanitarian aid following the

departure of the European Union?

I

am. And I think when we have further

control over the money we are

spending then we will undoubtedly

work still with European partners

and we will echo that that will be a

very good thing indeed.

Thank you,

Mr Speaker. We have been sitting

outside Westminster tube station to

raise awareness, what is the

department doing for those who

suffer from rare diseases in

developing countries to make sure

they are not left behind?

We spent

about £1 billion with our own health

service, with Public Health England,

into the Fleming funds and other

research funds, pioneering research

that UK research is funding. It is

saving lives overseas and combating

rare diseases but also the results

of that are helping British citizens

as well.

90% of the plastic entering

our oceans is carried by just ten

rivers in Africa and Asia. What is

the government doing to help some of

the poorest countries in the world

tackle this global problem?

My

department is assisting developing

countries to improve waste

management which includes avoiding

plastic ending up in the ocean

through multilateral funds. We are

also working with deaf on some new

projects to see what we can do in

line with the 25 year develop

relevant plan.

I don't usually get

that reception. The South Sudanese

government is preventing some NGOs

such as Christian Aid providing aid

to those desperately need it. What

more can be done to pressure these

governments to allow the charities

access?

The honourable lady is

absolutely right. It is a scandal

that the South Sudanese government

are charging NGOs to deliver aid.

The aid is getting through. I think

she paid tribute to the people who

are delivering it. But we are

putting pressure on the government

to allow easy access for

humanitarian aid.

Following on from

my recent Prime Minister's question,

will the Minister consider whether

there will be a fixed percentage on

international aids to tackling

persecution?

My honourable friend

deserves tribute on the way she

raises this issue. Since the United

Nations declaration of human rights,

it is a scandal that almost three

quarters of the world's population

live in countries that restrict

freedoms. We do not restrict the

percentage but...

Many of the

Rohingya refugees and unaccompanied

children are at risk from

traffickers. Can the Minister update

the House on the support that the UK

is providing to these children?

We

are doing many things to provide

support to those children, not just

in the immediate aftermath in a

situation they are facing but also

ensure and protects they don't fall

victim to organised crime later on

down the line. There are many things

that we are doing under the compact

but also in the new panel that I

have alluded to today.

Will my right

honourable friend agree that

providing jobs and livelihoods for

alternatively displaced people

wherever they may be are equally

important as providing relief aid.

I

do agree of my honourable friend and

that is why the department has

shifted its funding focus. Stability

is clearly key to delivering aid in

Yemen. The council pays to be

providing some stability.

We have no direct contact with that

council. We do work the partners in

the south of Yemen but importantly

we hope that the appointment of the

new UN special envoy Martin

Griffiths with contacts through

Yemen