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Wednesday Volume 614 14 September 2016 No. 37 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 14 September 2016 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2016 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 879 14 SEPTEMBER 2016 880 are the very issues and challenges that will be reflected House of Commons in the summit, and Britain will lead the way in standing up for the rights of women refugees and doing the Wednesday 14 September 2016 responsible thing for them. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP): During the summer holidays many girls are taken from the UK to developing countries, where they are subjected to the PRAYERS brutality of female genital mutilation. What is the Secretary of State doing to prevent those girls from being taken [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] out of the country in that way? Priti Patel: The hon. Lady rightly highlights the abhorrent practice of FGM and that vulnerable girls Oral Answers to Questions are abused in that way. I am working with colleagues across Government on a strategy to ensure not just that we do more but that we end that practice and, importantly, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT bring the perpetrators of that abhorrent crime to justice. The Secretary of State was asked— 12. [906325] Hannah Bardell (Livingston) (SNP): An Independent Commission for Aid Impact report says Violence against Women and Girls that support for women’s rights organisations remains “a…neglected area in DfID’s programming” 1. John Pugh (Southport) (LD): What steps she is and recommends strengthening grassroots women’s rights taking to support grassroots women’s rights organisations organisations as a route to scaling up prevention of which are working to tackle violence against women violence. Given the Government’s commitment under and girls in developing countries. [906314] sustainable development goal 5 on women’s rights and The Secretary of State for International Development girls’ empowerment, what steps will the Secretary of (Priti Patel): It is an honour to stand here today as the State take in her new role on the ICAI’s advice? International Development Secretary.I believe passionately in my Department’s mission to end extreme poverty. Priti Patel: As I said in my opening remarks, I pay Violence against women and girls is a global scandal tribute to the work of my predecessor, who has led the that the Department for International Development is way on women’s rights and rights for girls. The hon. working to end. We invest in hundreds of organisations Lady is right to point to the SDGs. DFID is doing a to improve the lives of millions of women and girls great deal. We recognise the critical role of women’s globally.I pay tribute to the leadership of my predecessor, rights and the organisations that we partner and work my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine with. We will continue to do exactly that. Greening) on the issue. I am determined to continue our work on this agenda. Christina Rees (Neath) (Lab/Co-op): I welcome the Secretary of State to her place. What programmes does John Pugh: Only 1% of gender-specific funds are her Department provide to counter the use of rape and spent on women’s rights organisations. Does the Secretary sexual violence as a weapon of war and subjugation? of State not think she could do more, and will she align with ActionAid, whose campaign “Fearless” has really Priti Patel: The hon. Lady raises the abuse and the taken off? abhorrent crimes that take place against women and girls in conflict and conflict zones. We work with a Priti Patel: I pay tribute to those involved in championing whole range of organisations, and civil society also that campaign. There are more than 40 existing mechanisms plays a part in achieving the right outcomes. We work through which funding is channelled to women’s rights with Governments around the world and through our organisations. I believe—rightly so—that we channel multilateral relationships through the United Nations our funding in the right way to support the right objectives not only to work with countries and organisations to and outcomes for women and girls around the world. try to stop that practice but to deal with the perpetrators of those appalling crimes. Dame Caroline Spelman (Meriden) (Con): I warmly welcome my right hon. Friend to her place. Women Syria: Aid refugees often suffer violence on their journeys to safety, and the practice of registering only the head of the 2. Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): What aid her family in asylum processes often leaves their needs Department is providing to civilians in (a) Aleppo and neglected. Will the Secretary of State reassure the House (b) other besieged areas in Syria. [906315] that at the UN summit on refugees next week the voice of women refugees will get a proper hearing? The Secretary of State for International Development (Priti Patel): My Department has funded the United Priti Patel: I thank my right hon. Friend for her very Nations and non-governmental organisations to provide important and significant question. She is right to point food, water,healthcare and nutritional supplies to Aleppo. out that there is a conference at the UN General Assembly We have allocated £561 million to support vulnerable next week specifically on refugees, on which our Prime people inside Syria, including in Aleppo and other Minister and President Obama will be leading. Those besieged areas, where access is possible. 881 Oral Answers 14 SEPTEMBER 2016 Oral Answers 882 Kerry McCarthy: I thank the Secretary of State for recognising that humanitarian aid is essential, as is that response but, despite the ceasefire this week, we are protecting and safeguarding vulnerable people. That is hearing from the UN special envoys that the Syrian part of our ongoing work with multilateral organisations, regime is continuing to restrict aid to eastern Aleppo. and an ongoing area of our work in the Government. We have also heard reports that two barrels of chlorine gas were dropped by helicopter on civilian neighbourhoods, Kate Osamor (Edmonton) (Lab/Co-op): I welcome injuring many people including children. What will the the Secretary of State to her place. To be clear, about Secretary of State do to facilitate access for humanitarian 300,000 people are believed to be in east Aleppo; civilians aid? are trapped inside the city’s eastern neighbourhoods and are experiencing bombing; and children have been Priti Patel: The hon. Lady is absolutely right. The left crippled and dead. This is a humanitarian crisis and Syria crisis is appalling in every single aspect we see and we need to work together to ensure there is help where experience. The point about aid is significant because help is needed. Many questions have been asked today. I we have had significant access problems. The ceasefire thank the House, because we are standing together, but has just come into being and, obviously, we are working will the Secretary of State elaborate on what mechanisms with the UN and our partners to look at getting much are in place at this point in time and what mechanisms needed aid and supplies into the besieged areas, which she will explore? have not seen aid for a considerable time. All colleagues in the House recognise this, but it is worth pointing out again that this is an appalling crisis and conflict. On the Priti Patel: I thank the hon. Lady for her welcome perpetrator—Assad—we are working on the wider conflict and look forward to working with her on many such resolution, but our priority is to ensure that we can get global challenges and crises. She is right to highlight the humanitarian supplies in. extent of humanitarian suffering in Aleppo we are comprehending. I was in Brussels on Monday meeting 11. [906324] Damian Collins (Folkestone and Hythe) my development counterparts, and I speak on a near-daily (Con): Will the Secretary of State give the House an basis to my opposite numbers around the world. The update on the progress that has been made on raising focus for us is the humanitarian crisis, and on getting funds to support humanitarian aid in Syria since the aid into the besieged areas, and to the people who London Syria conference earlier this year? desperately need aid but who have not been receiving it. I will continue the work we are undertaking and continue Priti Patel: The UK led the way with the Syria to update the House. conference. We have pledged more than £2.3 billion in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region. We have the UN General Assembly next week, Nepal Earthquake: Aid where we will again make the case for the donors to do more to raise more money, and for greater partnership 3. Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) (Lab): What working, to alleviate many of the hardships that we see support her Department has provided to victims of the in the crisis in Syria. earthquake in Dolakha, Nepal of May 2015. [906316] Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (Ochil and South Perthshire) (SNP): All hon. Members hope that the ceasefire will The Minister of State, Department for International mean safer passage for the convoys to reach the besieged Development (Rory Stewart): On behalf of the Department, cities. What discussions is the Secretary of State having I express our great condolences on the impact of the with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry earthquake.