Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Wednesday 10 June 2020 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK has pledged 764 million of UK aid to help end the covid-19 pandemic through a coordinated international response.
  • CDC invested in Frontiir to extend internet access to more people in Myanmar and combat poverty, adhering to Global Network Initiative standards.
  • UK is assisting countries in east Africa to respond to the desert locust upsurge, which threatens 25 million people with food shortages, by providing funding and technology for early warning systems.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ian Levy Con Blyth Valley
NHS Foreign Affairs
Context

The UK has pledged significant funds to combat COVID-19 through international financing institutions and multilateral organizations.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that in order to tackle this virus so that we can all be safe from future waves of infection, the international community must work together, co-ordinating and increasing support for vulnerable countries, and delivering the appropriate international financial and health system assistance?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Secretary of State for International Development)

Strong, resilient health systems are vital to national and global health security, and to helping to protect the world from infectious diseases, including covid. The UK has so far pledged £764 million of UK aid to help end the covid-19 pandemic, in support of the co-ordinated international response through the international financing institutions, multilaterals and global health initiatives, alongside DFID programmes.

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Q2 Stephen Doughty Labour (Co-op) Cardiff South and Penarth
Foreign Affairs Science & Technology Business & Trade
Context

The UK's Commonwealth Development Corporation has been criticized for its investments in Myanmar, particularly concerning internet service provider Frontiir.

Question

Does the Secretary of State now urge CDC to immediately divest from this company? Is she sure that none of the other microfinance programmes being supported is indirectly helping the Myanmar regime?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Secretary of State for International Development)

After going through due diligence, CDC invested in Frontiir to extend internet access to more people in Myanmar and to combat poverty. The company has followed the international Global Network Initiative standards by posting transparency statements so that users know whether the site has limitations upon it.

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Q3 Shaun Bailey Lab West Bromwich West
NHS
Context

The UK is a major funder of Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance.

Question

In addition now to being the largest funder of Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, what work is the UK doing and what message does she have for Queenie to ensure that she can carry on in her fight to make sure that everyone can access vaccines globally?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Secretary of State for International Development)

Queenie is clearly a wise young person, and it is a really important question. The UK is at the forefront of efforts to drive global collaboration and resourcing, including through our engagement through the access to covid tools accelerator and through industry for the development of new vaccines at the speed and scale required to ensure access for all those who will need them.

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Q4 Laurence Robertson Con Tewkesbury
Foreign Affairs Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

East Africa faces severe food shortages due to the desert locust upsurge.

Question

Will the Secretary of State give us a quick assessment of the position in east Africa and what the Government are doing to help people there?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Secretary of State for International Development)

We are also assisting countries to respond to the desert locust upsurge in east Africa, which threatens 25 million people with severe food shortages. UK aid has funded a supercomputer to track that and help develop early warning systems and has provided £5 million to the UNFAO's regional emergency appeal.

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