Tag: Lord Bruce of Bennachie

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the total contribution in the form of Official Development Assistance that the UK plans to provide to India for (1) the current financial year, and (2) each of the following three years.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

For the current financial year, DFID has committed to spend £30 million through technical assistance and £40 million through returnable capital investment. Figures for ODA to India from other Government Departments will be available at the end of the period. UK ODA to India for outer years has not yet been agreed by Ministers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the Official Development Assistance contribution to India will fulfil the objectives set out by the Secretary of State for International Development on 15 August following her visit to India.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The economic and development objectives set out by the Secretary of State on 15 August are underpinned by technical assistance and development capital investment. Objectives for the use of Official Development Assistance in India are agreed by the National Security Council.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to secure the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe following her five-year prison sentence in Iran; and what priority they assign to reuniting Nazanin and her daughter with her husband in the UK.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Government continues to raise its strong concerns about Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s five year sentence. Iran does not recognise dual nationality for Iranian nationals and therefore has not provided any information to us about Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case or the charges against her. On 11 September our Acting Ambassador to Tehran raised our concerns with the Iranian Government and pressed for urgent confirmation of the charges. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), raised our strong concerns for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe with Iranian President Rouhani on 9 August. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), similarly raised her case with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif on 4 August, and followed up in writing on 29 August. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) met Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family on 8 September to reassure them that we will continue to raise her case with the Iranian authorities at the highest levels at every available opportunity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to secure the return of the passport of British citizen Gabriella Ratcliffe which is currently being held by the government of Iran.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We have been providing consular support to the family of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe since we were notified of her arrest and remain in regular contact with them. We remain ready to facilitate Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s daughter’s return to the UK if requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2015-12-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the recent violence in Burundi.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK is deeply concerned by the recent violence in Burundi and supports the East African Community mandated dialogue, facilitated by Uganda, as the only route to a sustainable and inclusive solution. The UK has been active in its response, working alongside our international partners. Under the UK’s Presidency the UN Security Council approved Resolution 2248 which provided for the deployment of a UN team to Burundi. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (Mr Duddridge), visited the region between 15 – 17 December with a focus on Burundi. Mr Duddridge discussed the recent violence with the Burundian Foreign Minister Alain Nyamitwe, and Major General Prime Niyongabo, Army Chief Of Staff. In Uganda, Mr Duddridge had separate meetings with President Museveni and Foreign Minister Kutesa. Additionally, he spoke by phone with Defence Minister Kiyonga. Mr Duddridge also met Rwandan Foreign Minister Mushikiwabo to underline the need for constructive engagement to solve the Burundi crisis. We have intensified our coordination with African Union (AU) countries alongside international partners. We welcome the AU’s Peace and Security Committee communiqué of 18 December which authorised a deployment of AU troops to Burundi to stabilise the security situation. We are exploring what more we can do to support the AU’s leadership at the UN and with our EU partners.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2015-12-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Ethiopia in the wake of reported deaths following demonstrations in and around Addis Ababa.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The British Government is deeply concerned about the demonstrations in Oromia and reported deaths of a number of students. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd), raised our concerns with the Ethiopian deputy prime minister on 11 December and urged the authorities to exercise restraint. Our chargé d’affaires repeated this message with the Ethiopian state minister for foreign affairs on 15 December. Our Ethiopia travel advice was updated on 18 December to reflect our concerns about the security situation in the affected areas. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and raise our concerns with the Ethiopian government, including on the use of force.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-01-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes, if any, they are seeking to the OECD Development Assistance Committee guidelines on official development assistance.

Earl of Courtown

As one of just a few donors to have met the 0.7% commitment, the credibility of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) system is of significant importance to the UK. The government is working closely with other countries to modernise the definition of ODA at the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), 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 Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-01-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider re-opening a bilateral development programme in Burundi, in the light of recent violence in that country.

Baroness Verma

The UK Government is extremely concerned by the ongoing political unrest in Burundi, and its humanitarian consequences, including the flow of Burundian refugees to neighbouring countries.

DFID offices across the region, including in Tanzania, DRC, Rwanda and Uganda, are working closely to monitor the situation, review preparedness activities and provide humanitarian support. £18.15 million has been committed by DFID for refugee response in the region through UN agencies, such as UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP, and international NGOs. This funding includes £14.25 million to support refugees in Tanzania, and £3.9 million to support refugees in Rwanda. We are staying in close contact with the UN system about future funding needs. Additionally, DFID is working closely with the FCO to coordinate HMG’s response, and international partners such as the EU on Article 96 discussions, to ensure that humanitarian assistance continues to reach those in need.

DFID is monitoring the situation closely and may consider additional funding. DFID has deployed a Humanitarian Advisor to the region in support of the response and to monitor funding provided so far.

DFID is currently undertaking a Bilateral Aid Review, but there are no plans to reopen the DFID office in Burundi.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specific support they provide to deaf children in developing countries.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

People with disabilities are the largest minority group globally. An estimated one billion people have a disability globally, 80% of whom live in developing countries. People with disabilities are often the poorest in their community and many face considerable levels of stigma, discrimination and persecution.

DFID follows a ‘twin-track’ approach to disability inclusion. This means we aim to attach priority to disability in all our policies and programmes as well as supporting disability-targeted programmes.

Over the last two years, DFID has strengthened our capacity to work on disability inclusion, including by appointing a director-level champion, employing three full-time staff to work solely on disability, and developing a group of Internal Disability Expert Advisers from across our organisation.

DFID’s efforts to date have included:

• Furnishing schools with equipment and training teachers so children with disabilities can get a quality education.
• Providing grants to local Disabled People Organisations, allowing people with disabilities to come together and lobby governments on the issues which affect them.
• Collecting data on disability so we can fully understand the scale of impact and how best to support those people it affects.

For example, two projects in the UK’s flagship Girls Education Challenge are exclusively focused on addressing the issue that girls with disabilities are less likely to access education. Specific interventions include provision of assistive devices and scholastic materials for girls with hearing impairments and improvement of teacher skills to enable them to communicate in sign language, which has encouraged parents to enrol their children in schools.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they provide to deaf people in developing countries.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

People with disabilities are the largest minority group globally. An estimated one billion people have a disability globally, 80% of whom live in developing countries. People with disabilities are often the poorest in their community and many face considerable levels of stigma, discrimination and persecution.

DFID follows a ‘twin-track’ approach to disability inclusion. This means we aim to attach priority to disability in all our policies and programmes as well as supporting disability-targeted programmes.

Over the last two years, DFID has strengthened our capacity to work on disability inclusion, including by appointing a director-level champion, employing three full-time staff to work solely on disability, and developing a group of Internal Disability Expert Advisers from across our organisation.

DFID’s efforts to date have included:

• Furnishing schools with equipment and training teachers so children with disabilities can get a quality education.
• Providing grants to local Disabled People Organisations, allowing people with disabilities to come together and lobby governments on the issues which affect them.
• Collecting data on disability so we can fully understand the scale of impact and how best to support those people it affects.

For example, two projects in the UK’s flagship Girls Education Challenge are exclusively focused on addressing the issue that girls with disabilities are less likely to access education. Specific interventions include provision of assistive devices and scholastic materials for girls with hearing impairments and improvement of teacher skills to enable them to communicate in sign language, which has encouraged parents to enrol their children in schools.