The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations she has received on alleged breaches of international environmental law by UK firm Vedanta Resources in Zambia.
Justine Greening
Vedenta Resources has no formal relationship with our DFID Zambia office.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which projects her Department plans to close following its decision to suspend financial aid payments to the government of Mozambique.
Justine Greening
Following confirmation of undisclosed state-guaranteed loans, the UK immediately suspended all direct aid to the Government of Mozambique. This has since been followed by other donors. The UK is working with international partners to assess the implications for programming. The UK’s priority is to continue to support the people of Mozambique to exit poverty and build a more prosperous and secure country.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information she holds on the number of drug traffickers who have been sentenced to death in (a) Iran and (b) Pakistan following conviction resulting from counter-narcotics activities supported by the UK in those countries.
Karen Bradley
The Government provides counter-narcotics assistance to a range of international partners, including Pakistan. The Government does not provide counter-narcotics assistance to Iran. There is no evidence to suggest that any drug traffickers have been sentenced to death in Pakistan where the conviction has resulted from counter-narcotics activities supported by the UK government.
All our work is the subject of comprehensive and ongoing assessments of human rights risks, in line with Overseas Security & Justice Assistance (OSJA) guidance. This helps ensure that counter-narcotics assistance provided to countries which retain the death penalty is congruent with UK human rights principles. The Government strongly opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. UK Ministers have and will continue to urge countries, including Iran and Pakistan, to repeal the death penalty and take action to ensure human rights are safeguarded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with (a) other government departments and (b) external organisations on the effects of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia on the delivery of development aid.
Justine Greening
DFID plays a key role in the UK government’s wider efforts to promote a more stable Yemen that is more able to address its humanitarian needs, working closely with other government departments to ensure that our combined diplomatic, humanitarian and military efforts make the maximum contribution to improving the situation in Yemen.
As part of this, we discuss all issues of relevance to the humanitarian response. We also meet regularly with external organisations to discuss the humanitarian situation and delivery of aid in Yemen.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make an assessment of the financial and humanitarian effect on Turkey of keeping its border with Syria open to refugees while restricting their access to the EU.
Justine Greening
The UK recognises Turkey’s extraordinary generosity in ably hosting so many refugees from Syria and elsewhere. The EU-Turkey Summit on 29 November 2015 highlighted the importance that the EU attaches to its wide-ranging partnership with Turkey and need to support Turkey in its hosting of Syrians. The EU and Turkey have agreed to an Action Plan and a €3 billion Refugee Facility for Turkey to help implement it. We have committed our share to the €3 billion Facility
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-05-18.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 19 April 2016 to Question 33646, what conditions of access have been placed by (a) Jersey and (b) the Cayman Islands on their registers of beneficial ownership.
Harriett Baldwin
I refer the hon. Member to the text of the arrangements concluded between the UK and the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and to the Oral Statement given by the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) on 11 April 2016, Official Report, column 23.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beneficial-ownership-uk-overseas-territories-and-crown-dependencies
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-04-11/debates/1604111000001/PanamaPapers#contribution-1604116000104
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the destruction by lethal yellowing of coconut palms in Antigua.
Justine Greening
The identification and control of significant plant and animal diseases is an important part of DFID’s research programmes, delivered through co-funded projects with the UK research councils, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and through the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the contributions of the Minister of State for International Development at the International Development Committee, 27 January 2016, Question 28, and on 3 February 2016, Official Report, column 908, what the evidential basis is for the statements that export of arms by the UK to Saudi Arabia is not undermining her Department’s humanitarian work in Yemen.
Justine Greening
The UK is the fourth largest donor to the crisis in Yemen, committing £85million this year. Funding those agencies and NGOs who have the best access and ability to deliver humanitarian assistance in Yemen means we have been able to provide support to over 1.3m Yemenis. In recent weeks, UK food aid has also been delivered to some of the hardest to reach areas of Taiz.
Nevertheless, the conflict in Yemen does make it difficult for agencies to operate and deliver humanitarian aid to all those who need it. That is why a lasting ceasefire is so important. We are doing all we can to support the UN to convene a further round of peace talks over the coming weeks and to renew the ceasefire.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has made to ensure that the safeguards on private sector instruments in the 19 February 2016 communiqué of the OECD Development Assistance Committees are implemented in the UK.
Justine Greening
The UK will comply with the agreement reached at the 2016 High Level Meeting (18-19 February 2016) in line with the timetable agreed by the OECD.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-05-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the implications are of the findings of the report from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact, entitled DFID’s efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls, published on 17 May 2016, for her Department’s work on strengthening women’s rights organisations and networks in the developing world.
Justine Greening
I welcome ICAI’s recent review, which awarded my Department their highest rating, a green review score, for our work on tackling violence against women and girls. The review highlights the important contribution UK Aid makes to the lives of women and girls around the world and recognises the significant achievements of DFID to date on this vtial issue. My Department will provide a formal response to the ICAI findings in due course.