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  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that funding from the public purse for her Department’s work (a) does not reach unintended destinations and (b) is tracked from its source to its intended project.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    At every stage in the programme cycle DFID assesses and mitigates the risk that aid could be diverted from its intended purpose or project. DFID provided a comprehensive written answer on 29 March 2016 [Hansard ref 31732] which set out in more detail the steps DFID take to ensure that funding from the public purse for her Department’s work (a) does not end up in unintended destinations and (b) is tracked from its source to its intended project. In addition, DFID’s Counter Fraud and Whistleblowing Unit will take all necessary steps to investigate swiftly all allegations of corruption and fraud and pursue sanctions available in each case, including dismissal, prosecution, suspension and cancellation of aid.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will issue a response to Early Day Motion 1339, Drought in Ethiopia.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK Government is extremely concerned about the impact of the current drought in Ethiopia, and is following the situation closely. We are working with the UN system, the EC and other donors to help the Ethiopian Government manage the current crisis. The UK Government has provided one of the earliest and largest commitments of support, providing £113 million in assistance to food security and other needs since July 2015.

  • Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of mobile financial services on levels of extreme poverty in developing countries.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Mobile financial services have a key role to play in connecting people to basic services, supporting economic empowerment and building resilience of individuals and families. DFID operates a number of financial inclusion programmes, many of which include elements to promote the development of mobile financial services, and all are required to undertake a formal Annual Review process to measure progress towards their expected impact. Our most significant programme in this area to date has been the technology programme for branchless banking, which at completion had provided access to financial services for just over 59m people globally.

  • Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has provided support to developing countries to encourage financial inclusion.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    DFID has made an important contribution to date in developing robust, efficient and inclusive financial markets. Between 2010-2015, UK Aid achievements included providing 68.9 million people, including 35.9 million women, with access to financial services.

  • Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has provided support to developing countries to formulate regulations on mobile financial services.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Work to support formulation and improvements to regulations on mobile financial services is a key part of DFID’s portfolio of financial sector programmes around mobile financial services across Africa and Asia. The UK is also an active advocate at the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), including as co-chair of the key subgroup on regulation and standard-setting bodies.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Madaya in Syria.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Across Syria, Assad and other parties to the conflict are wilfully impeding humanitarian access on a day-by-day basis. We have given support to the UN and international NGOs since the start of the conflict to deliver aid to those in need and continue to push for humanitarian access to be granted to all besieged and hard to reach places. This includes through our participation in the International Syria Support Group’s Humanitarian Taskforce and our position in the UN Security Council.

    On Madaya, several inter-agency convoys have now reached the town delivering much-needed humanitarian assistance. On 23 March, the UN received written approval from the regime for further inter-agency convoys in April to six of eleven besieged locations including Madaya. Under this plan, deliveries are expected to reach 40,000 people in Madaya. We also are pleased that on 4 April, the Syria Arab Red Crescent was able to supervise medical evacuations from Madaya.

    However, progress is too slow and we are deeply concerned by reports of civilian deaths in Madaya due to blocked medical evacuations. We are calling for this to end, alongside the removal of medical equipment from convoys by the regime, and regular access to healthcare for besieged populations.

  • Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues in (a) her Department and (b) other Departments on establishing a new national centre of expertise on tackling child sexual abuse.

    Karen Bradley

    Tackling child sexual abuse is a top priority for this Government and good progress is being made on delivering the commitments made in “Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation” – the Government’s response to address on a national scale the failures that had been seen in Rotherham and elsewhere. We are working collaboratively across Whitehall to deliver on our commitments and will publish an update to the “Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation” report later this year. This will set out our progress to date on what we have achieved in tackling offending, reducing vulnerability and supporting victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. It will also set out what future steps the government plans to take.

    As part of this work, we have prioritised child sexual abuse as a national threat, providing a clear mandate for police forces to safeguard children and to share intelligence and best practice. We have also rolled out to all UK police forces Child abuse image database (CAID) which provides law enforcement with effective tools to search seized devices. We have delivered a £7 million uplift in funding over the financial years 2014 – 15 and 2015 – 16 for non statutory organisations which support victims and survivors of sexual abuse and have announced that the same amount will be available in 2016 – 17.

    In January this year we launched a new national whistle-blowing helpline, operated by the NSPCC, for any employee who wants to raise a concern about how their organisation is dealing with a concern about a child. The establishment of the Centre of Expertise has formed part of discussions held at the Inter Ministerial Group on Child Sexual Abuse, and we are currently working towards its procurement. In terms of the Centre working with the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the Inquiry is independent of Government, but the Government is, and will, continue to fully co-operate with it.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length time taken to reunite stranded minors with their families in the UK once they have been identified in Calais has been in each of the last three years.

    James Brokenshire

    There is no official estimate of the number of children in Calais, this is primarily a matter for the French authorities. It is only possible to assess whether an individual has links to the UK that could enable a transfer on family unity grounds once they make an application for asylum in France.

    Once an asylum claim is lodged in France the Dublin Regulation procedure requesting the UK to take charge of a child on family unity grounds takes place very quickly, often in a matter of weeks, subject to consideration of the evidence in each individual case. An average time is not available for each of the last three years.

    Since February 2016 the UK has accepted 30 family reunification applications from minors in France of which 23 have already been transferred to the UK.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many decisions on international protection her Department made with further submissions lodged under rule 353 of the Immigration Rules in respect of (a) grants on protection grounds, (b) grants on non-protection grounds, (c) decisions to treat as fresh claim and then refuse, (d) further submissions refused, (e) further submissions rejected as not in correct format or (f) further submissions withdrawn before any decision made in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16.

    James Brokenshire

    Our records indicate that 27,254 further submissions decisions were made under rule 353 of the Immigration Rules from 2013 to 2015. A breakdown of decision outcomes by year has been provided in a separate attached summary document.

    The data used in response to this question relates to all further submissions decisions, as data held does not identify whether the further submission decision was on international protection or other grounds.

    In relation to category (e), decisions to reject further submissions as not in correct format, Home Office policy on further submissions requires that further submissions should be submitted in person unless certain exceptions apply. Data is not available for the number of submissions that are not accepted because they have not been submitted via the appropriate process.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of children in Calais who are waiting to be reunited with their families in the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    There is no official estimate of the number of children in Calais, this is primarily a matter for the French authorities. It is only possible to assess whether an individual has links to the UK that could enable a transfer on family unity grounds once they make an application for asylum in France.

    Once an asylum claim is lodged in France the Dublin Regulation procedure requesting the UK to take charge of a child on family unity grounds takes place very quickly, often in a matter of weeks, subject to consideration of the evidence in each individual case. An average time is not available for each of the last three years.

    Since February 2016 the UK has accepted 30 family reunification applications from minors in France of which 23 have already been transferred to the UK.