Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Global Malnutrition

Tuesday 19 January 2021 · 2 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK has invested 3.7 billion since 2013 to tackle global malnutrition
  • UK nutrition programmes reached 55.1 million beneficiaries from 2015 to 2020
  • Nutrition underpins education and health outcomes in developing countries

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Questions & Answers

Q1 David Mundell Con Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
Foreign Affairs
Context

The question addresses the UK's efforts to combat global malnutrition following the nutrition for growth summit in 2013. The context includes the appointment of a special envoy for famine prevention, and concerns about rising rates of malnutrition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question

What steps he is taking to tackle global malnutrition. It was excellent to see UK leadership on global nutrition acknowledged by world leaders at the Canada nutrition for growth event in December, which launched 2021 as a year of action for nutrition. That could hardly be more timely, given that covid-19 is causing rates of malnutrition worldwide to rise for the first time in decades. So nutrition must be central to my hon. Friend's new Department's objectives for aid spending.

Answer from Wendy Morton

The UK has invested £3.7 billion in tackling malnutrition since the nutrition for growth summit in 2013. The UK has reached 55.1 million children, women and adolescent girls through our nutrition programmes from 2015 to 2020. I was really pleased when the Foreign Secretary appointed the UK's first special envoy for famine prevention and humanitarian affairs last year, announcing alongside that £119 million to address food insecurity and a £30 million partnership with UNICEF to address acute malnutrition.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about reviewing the commitment to tackle malnutrition was not addressed directly.

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Q2 David Mundell Con Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
NHS Foreign Affairs
Context

The question follows UK leadership at the Canada nutrition for growth event in December, emphasizing the need to address malnutrition amidst rising rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The context highlights the interconnection between good nutrition and education outcomes.

Question

It was excellent to see UK leadership on global nutrition acknowledged by world leaders at the Canada nutrition for growth event in December, which launched 2021 as a year of action for nutrition. That could hardly be more timely, given that covid-19 is causing rates of malnutrition worldwide to rise for the first time in decades. So nutrition must be central to my hon. Friend's new Department's objectives for aid spending. For example, it is impossible to meaningfully progress girls' education while rates of malnutrition among girls are on the rise. Will the Government therefore urgently review their commitment to tackle malnutrition as part of their participation in the year of action?

Answer from Wendy Morton

I know my right hon. Friend has taken a keen interest in this and has been trying to get a question at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office orals for some time. It is evident that good nutrition underpins education and health outcomes, and adult learning, in developing countries. That was the rationale for the UK playing a lead role on nutrition over the past decade. The prevention and treatment of malnutrition remain key to achieving the Government's commitment to ending the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children. The Department is, of course, beginning a rigorous internal prioritisation process in response to the spending review announcement, and we will update on the implications of that for nutrition as soon as is feasible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about reviewing the commitment was not directly addressed; instead, it mentioned an ongoing internal process without a concrete timeline or commitment to action.

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