Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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Wednesday Volume 579 9 April 2014 No. 151 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 9 April 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 247 9 APRIL 2014 248 Justine Greening: My hon. Friend is absolutely right, House of Commons and this gives me a chance to pay tribute to the tireless efforts he made to push through his private Member’s Wednesday 9 April 2014 Bill. It has not just set out how important equality is to our Parliament, but has been picked up across the world as an example of the UK’s taking a stand on gender The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock equality. PRAYERS Mr Jim Murphy (East Renfrewshire) (Lab): As we pay tribute to others, it is right for the House again to [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] reflect at the time of these elections on the enormous contribution our armed forces have made and continue to make. It is heartening that in the elections the three front-runners were supportive of the extension of women’s Oral Answers to Questions rights in government, but progress has been fragile. It is unacceptable that only 1% of those who serve in the Afghan police force are women. I know that the Secretary of State will share that concern, so what more can be INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT done to ensure that the legal, judicial and policing systems properly reflect a better balance of gender in The Secretary of State was asked— Afghanistan? Afghanistan Election (Women) Justine Greening: That is the very point that I raised 1. Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab): with the Minister of the Interior when I was last in What assessment she has made of the level of women’s Afghanistan. We are providing technical assistance to participation in the upcoming Afghanistan presidential enable work on this issue across the board, but one election. [903613] thing that is being considered is bringing in women at more senior levels in the Afghan police to get role The Secretary of State for International Development models, so that incoming female recruits can aspire and (Justine Greening): Provisional estimates show that look up to them. approximately 7 million people voted in Afghanistan’s presidential and provincial council election last Saturday. Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) About a third of women voted—a tremendous achievement. (LD): Given that the engagement in democracy is so That is evidence that support for democratic institutions strong, with the draw-down of ISAF it will be crucial and women’s participation is making a real difference that donor communities continue to provide aid to what on the ground. is one of the poorest countries in the world, in order to maintain stability. What discussions has the Secretary Karl Turner: Early indications show that the role of of State had with US authorities about recognising the women in Afghanistan’s elections has taken great steps importance of that continued aid commitment? in the right direction, but what plans are in place to ensure that those hard-won battles for the rights of women are not lost as a result of the international Justine Greening: I routinely discuss the work of the security assistance force draw-down at the end of this donor community with our US colleagues and there year? will be an important meeting, which the UK will be co-chairing, at the end of this year and perhaps running Justine Greening: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely into early next year that will assess progress against the right to raise that point. The Department for International Tokyo mutual accountability framework. At that point Development committed £20 million of funding to help we should have a new Afghan President and Government the UN work to support the elections, including nearly in place, so that will be a good time to take stock of £5 million for a programme to support women’s progress and of the challenges that remain. participation. As we go forward, we must ensure that the constitution that is already in place to support Development Framework (Health) women’s rights is enforced, that we are working at grassroots level and putting more money into community programmes and that across government, for example 2. Ian Mearns (Gateshead) (Lab): What her health in the police, women get the chance to play their full priorities are for the post-2015 development framework. role. As far as I and the Government are concerned, we [903614] are determined to ensure that those hard-won additional rights for women are not just maintained but built on The Secretary of State for International Development further. (Justine Greening): The UK has played a central role in developing successor development goals to the millennium Mr William Cash (Stone) (Con): May I thank the development goals, including through my right hon. Secretary of State for that reply? I hope that now that Friend the Prime Minister’s co-chairmanship of the the International Development (Gender Equality) Act UN high-level panel. We want to see progress across the 2014 has received Royal Assent, she will be able to give board on health, particularly on maternal and child the maximum opportunities to protect women and make health. We want a dedicated health goal, and articulated certain that they are fully empowered. and measured health outcomes targets. 249 Oral Answers9 APRIL 2014 Oral Answers 250 Ian Mearns: Despite ongoing global commitments, Nic Dakin: May I draw attention to my entry in the 40 million women gave birth without the assistance of a Register of Members’ Financial Interests? To reach midwife last year, and families living in the poorest every child with immunisation requires not only vaccines parts of the world are twice as likely to lose their babies but staff. Do the Government support the GAVI15% to as those in the richest nations. Will the Secretary of 25% spending target on health strengthening in the State use her influence to ensure that there are targets international community? for ending preventable child, maternal and newborn deaths in the post-2015 framework, and to call for Lynne Featherstone: I thank the hon. Gentleman for universal health coverage and universal access to midwifery? that, because strengthening health systems and the capacity of health workers is a key answer in addressing the Justine Greening: We are supportive of universal immunisation deficit. health coverage, which is one of the key means that can improve health outcomes. The hon. Gentleman is quite Martin Horwood (Cheltenham) (LD): I proudly right to raise the issue of maternal health. We look congratulate the Government on spending 0.7% of national across the board at how we can do that, including in income on eradicating poverty worldwide, much of it relation to family planning and what we are doing this on polio eradication. The last three countries with summer to combat child and early marriage, which is endemic polio all have significant Islamic populations. one reason why maternal health is poor. We will continue Is the Department committed to working with religious to work really hard on that whole agenda. and Islamic leaders to try to build community support for polio eradication and to protect health workers in Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con): Great gains have those countries? been made under the millennium development goals in the areas of malaria, neglected tropical diseases, HIV/AIDS Lynne Featherstone: My hon. Friend raises the issue and tuberculosis. Can my right hon. Friend reassure me of the frustrating endgame on polio. GAVI will play a that the goals that we will push for post-2015 will ensure major role in delivering that endgame, but we are working that those gains will be maintained and, indeed, enhanced? with everyone to try to ensure that vaccinations are seen as good and not some kind of problem. Justine Greening: Yes, I can. In fact, we want HIV, TB and malaria to be incorporated under a health goal. My Michael Connarty (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (Lab): hon. Friend will be aware that the UK was one of the I declare an arrangement, as I went to Cambodia with leading donors at the global fund replenishment at the Results UK to see the GAVI-fundedprogramme there. I end of last year, and will continue to support that am told that the Government put in £860 million, which important work. raises questions about the future. Will the Government make a commitment to maintaining that level of funding in future for GAVI, which runs a wonderful project? Mark Durkan (Foyle) (SDLP): Further to that answer, will the Secretary of State confirm that the Government Lynne Featherstone: Right now, GAVI has not stated will commit to the opportunity identified by the “Malaria what its actual target is. We are the largest donor at No More” campaign to halve malaria deaths again—they 33%, and we will continue to support it. We will make a have already been halved since 2000—by 2020, and decision in the next few months. back the proposals to accelerate the reduction in the death rate to zero beyond 2020? Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con): Does the Minister agree that vaccination assistance and the partnership Justine Greening: We do want malaria to be eradicated. with the Gates Foundation is not only the right thing to It is one of the key issues African leaders raise in do but one of the best ways to help developing economies? relation not just to its impact on individuals and families, It is also something we should sell and explain to the but its economic impact.