Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Global Poverty and Inequality

Tuesday 15 June 2021 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The UK's overseas development assistance aims to reduce poverty in developing countries, with a commitment to spend 10 billion this year.
  • The UK agrees it has an opportunity to expand its presence abroad, especially in developing nations, as part of its diplomatic and development expansion.
  • The Minister commits to working with co-operative sectors globally to alleviate poverty in developing countries, aiming to return to a 0.7% aid budget when fiscal conditions permit.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Christina Rees Lab
Context

The question arises from the ongoing discussion on international aid and its impact on reducing global poverty. The UK is committed to providing £10 billion in overseas development assistance this year.

Question

What steps he is taking to reduce global poverty?

Answer from James Duddridge

The UK's overseas development assistance continues to serve the primary purpose of reducing poverty in developing countries. We are proud that we remain firmly committed to helping the world's poorest, and we will spend £10 billion on overseas development assistance this year—spending more on international aid in 2021 as a proportion of our gross national income than the majority of the G7.

Answered
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Q2 Sally-Ann Hart
Brexit Foreign Affairs
Context

With the UK now having more freedom to act independently in foreign policy after Brexit, there is an opportunity to enhance its international role, especially in developing countries.

Question

With Brexit, the UK has the freedom to be a truly global nation, not just in trade and diplomacy, but also in leading the world in tackling climate change, poverty and inequality. Does my hon. Friend agree that we have an opportunity to expand our presence abroad, particularly in developing nations, so that we have personnel on the ground who really understand the issues faced in these countries and who can advise on how aid can be specifically targeted to ensure real measurable help is given where it is needed most?

Answer from James Duddridge

I agree that we have an opportunity to expand our presence abroad, particularly in developing countries. As part of the UK's diplomatic and development expansion, we now have heads of mission in Lesotho, Vanuatu and Eswatini. We are also opening a new British embassy in Djibouti and upgrading our two existing offices in Chad and Niger to full embassy status.

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Q3 Christina Rees Lab
Economy Foreign Affairs
Context

The Labour Party and Co-operative movement are concerned about potential impacts on poverty alleviation efforts due to cuts in the UK's aid budget.

Question

As a Labour and Co-operative party MP, I am so proud that tackling poverty is at the heart of the co-operative movement. What assurances can the Minister give that the co-operative sectors, which do so much to alleviate poverty in developing countries, will not be impacted by cuts to the aid budget? Will he commit to reinstate the 0.7% aid budget target?

Answer from James Duddridge

I can certainly commit to going back to 0.7%—that is the Government's intention when the fiscal situation is right. I can agree to co-operate with co-operatives across the developing world—with a small C and a large C—including the Fairtrade movement.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The question specifically asked for assurances about impacts on co-operative sectors, which was not directly addressed.

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