Tag: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-12-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of people, including children, who continue to suffer the consequences of predictable and preventable disasters globally, and what assessment they have made of the case for Disaster Risk Reduction being included in all development assistance programmes in high-risk countries.

Baroness Verma

DFID uses the global assessment undertaken by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology for Disasters (CRED). CRED estimates that in 2014 107.3 million people were affected by disasters caused by natural hazards such as drought, earthquakes and floods. A DFID funded report recognises that, although there is limited available data, women and children are disproportionately affected by disasters.

In 2012 DFID undertook a study which highlighted the case to invest in measures to build resilience to natural hazards, including Disaster Risk Reduction. The study proved that investing in disaster resilience in advance of shocks or in the early stages of a crisis saves lives and is more cost-effective than humanitarian aid provided after a disaster strikes. It found that, for instance, in Kenya, over a 20 year period, every $1 spent on disaster resilience resulted in $2.90 saved in the form of reduced humanitarian aid, avoided losses and development gains. Since 2011 DFID has undertaken a process to embed disaster resilience in all our country programmes, resulting in the inclusion of disaster risk reduction when appropriate. The Political Champions for Resilience Group has ensured building resilience has been institutionalised in donors, aid agencies and national governments. Strengthening resilience and response to crises is one of the four priorities of the 2015 UK Aid Strategy, Tackling Global Challenges in the National Interest.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-02-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have regarding claims that UN member states are seeking to minimise the number of Sustainable Development Goal indicators, possibly eliminate the Female Genital Mutilation target, and retain the current restriction of measuring Female Genital Mutilation only in relevant countries”.”

Baroness Verma

The UK has continually championed the inclusion of a global goal on gender and the inclusion of a target on ending harmful practices with indicators on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM). With others, we resisted a proposed qualifier which would have restricted the measurement of FGM to ‘relevant countries only’. We anticipate this indicator will remain, and apply to all countries, when the report and indicators are approved by the UN Statistical commission in mid-March.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-03-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reported human rights abuses by Kenyan security forces in response to terror attacks in the north-eastern region of Kenya.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We take human rights very seriously and strongly oppose human rights abuses in all circumstances. We continue to believe that a human rights compliant approach is the most effective way to secure long-term peace and stability. Where allegations of abuses have been made, we urge the Kenyan government to fully investigate any credible allegations of non compliance and hold those responsible to account.

The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), signed a bilateral Security Compact with the Kenyan government in September 2015 aimed at enhancing our security cooperation. The Compact provides assurances on Kenya’s commitment to adhere to its international human rights obligations. The Conflict, Security and Stability Fund is working to build capacity to ensure security forces in the region are better governed, more accountable and more effective, and to build community resilience to respond to security challenges through work with civil society.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-04-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the access to fundamental rights of the Rohingya in Burma, and of adherence to international law in Burma, including during Burmese Army attacks on Shan and Kachin states.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We remain deeply concerned at the lack of fundamental human rights affecting the Rohingya in Rakhine State. It is also clear that violations and abuses continue to occur in conflict affected areas of Kachin and Northern Shan. The recent increase in fighting there is a setback to the gains made in the peace process during 2015. We call on all parties to stop fighting and engage in dialogue towards a truly nationwide ceasefire and a lasting political solution.

Addressing the problems of Rakhine, particularly the desperate situation of the Rohingya community, and reinvigorating the peace process are two of the most urgent and serious challenges facing the new government. We will continue to support and encourage the National League for Democracy-led government in making progress on these.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-05-25.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, of all the appeals made against initial asylum refusals by Eritrean nationals, how many were made (1) within the UK, and (2) from outside the UK, in (a) 2013, (b) 2014, and (c) 2015.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

In answer to Questions HL329 and HL331, I refer the noble Lady to my answer on 04/05/2016 for Question HL8090.

In answer to Question HL330, I refer the noble Lady to my answer on 04/05/2016 for Question HL8089.

In answer to Question HL332 and HL333, I refer the noble Lady to my answer on 11/05/2016 for Questions HL8091 and HL9092.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Burma about establishing a federal democracy to address the political needs of ethnic nationalities.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We have not held any discussions with the government of Burma on federal democracy in Burma. The political character of Burma’s state is a sovereign matter for the people of Burma and their democratically elected leaders to decide. However the UK Government is supporting the peace initiative launched by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. We regard this as the best forum in which all parties can express their political grievances and enter into a dialogue about how to reconcile their differences.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-10-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the response to conditions in the southern Yemen city of Taiz.

Baroness Verma

The people of Taiz are in urgent need of humanitarian supplies. The city continues to experience intense fighting, which is making it extremely difficult for aid agencies to deliver humanitarian assistance. There are reports that efforts to access the city and provide relief have been consistently blocked by the Houthis over the past month.

The UK continues to call on all parties to facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered access to all people in need in Yemen. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and support UN and NGO partners’ efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to Taiz city.

On 27 September 2015, the Seretary of State announced an additional £20million for humanitarian assistance to Yemen, bringing our overall contribution for 2015-16 to £75million and making the UK the 4th largest bilateral donor to Yemen crisis

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-12-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether priority in distributing aid will be given to those who are hard to reach, in the light of the new Sustainable Development Goals commitment to leave no-one behind”.”

Baroness Verma

The new UKAid strategy ‘Tackling global challenges in the national interest’ reiterates DFID’s commitment to tackling extreme poverty and helping the world’s most vulnerable, including hard to reach groups, which helps to build security, stability and opportunity that benefits all. Strategic Objective 4 outlines the UK Government’s ambition to be a world leader in implementing the promise to “Leave No One Behind”, as was agreed by the Prime Minister and other world leaders at UNGA in September 2015. To deliver our strategy, we will prioritise work that targets the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, the most excluded, those caught in crises, and those most at risk of violence and discrimination.

We have also made the commitment that at least 50% of all DFID’s spending is to be allocated to fragile states and regions. Fragile and conflict-affected countries typically have the highest poverty rates and in the future, extreme poverty is likely to be concentrated in fragile countries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-02-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to change the definition of overseas development aid in order to channel a higher proportion of the aid budget through departments other than the Department for International Development.

Baroness Verma

As one of just a few donors to have met the 0.7% commitment, the credibility of the Official Development Assistance system is of great importance to the UK. The government is working closely with other countries to modernise the definition of Official Development Assistance at the OECD Development Assistance Committee, to ensure it reflects the breadth of the new international development agenda set by the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development and fully incentivises other countries to meet these goals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-03-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much funding or support they have provided to the Kenya Defence Forces, Kenyan police forces, including the anti-terror police and the National Intelligence Service, and the Kenyan Wildlife Service in each of the last three years.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK and Kenya have a shared interest in tackling terrorist threats, and in line with the UK’s approach to address terrorism overseas we are committed to supporting the Government of Kenya and building capacity to counter this shared threat.

The Kenyan Defence Force (KDF) received approximately £640,000 in 2013/14, £870,000 in 2014/15, and £1,110,000 in 2015/16. The bulk of this money over the three years was for pre-deployment training with the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), including human rights training on sexual and gender based violence. In addition, the KDF received £22,000 as part of a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat maintenance package from 2013-15.

The Kenyan Police Force (KPF) received approximately £140,000 in 2013/14, £156,000 in 2014/15, and £356,000 in 2015/16. Our 2015-16 programmes support police reform and strengthen the accountability of the Kenyan National Police Service.

The Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) does not receive direct funding from the Government. However, the KWS is a project partner on three projects through the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, managed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The three projects receive around £790,000 over the period 2014-2018. In 2015/16, 6 KWS employees were part of an i2 Notebook and Intelligence Analysis training course. The overall cost was £105,000.