Railways: Franchises
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total annual investment in passenger rail services by the current operators of the (a) West Coast, (b) Great Western, (c) Southern, (d) Thameslink, (e) South Eastern, (f) South West, (g) Northern, (h) East Coast, (i) Transpennine, (j) Greater Anglia, (k) East Midlands, (l) London Midland, (m) Cross Country, (n) Essex Thameside and (o) Chiltern rail passenger franchise is to date. [180720]
Stephen Hammond: This information is not available as requested. Investment in rail infrastructure is normally a matter for Network Rail, while rolling stock is generally financed by the rolling stock companies.
Railways: Freight
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what priority his Department gives to the reopening of the Leamside Freight Line in the North East. [181830]
Stephen Hammond: Prioritisation of proposals for freight infrastructure is a matter for the rail freight industry, led by Network Rail through its Strategic Freight Network Steering Group. The reopening of the Leamside Freight Line is not currently a priority for the industry.
The wider question of rail infrastructure requirements in the north-east will be considered as part of the East Coast Main Line route study.
Railways: Waste Disposal
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the effect on the safety of (a) rail workers and (b) passengers of the discharge of effluent directly onto railway tracks. [182001]
Stephen Hammond: Research carried out for the Rail Safety and Standards Board in May 2004 concluded that while discharge from toilet waste on to the track is unsightly, the risk to passengers and employees from pathogen infection was low.
Rolling Stock
John McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new railway rolling stock will be
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introduced in the next 10 years; by what dates; and on what routes. [182003]
Stephen Hammond: On services operated by Department for Transport procured rail franchises the following new train orders have been placed since 2010:
170 Electrostar carriages currently being delivered for use on Southern routes;
80 Desiro carriages currently being delivered for use on Transpennine and West Midlands services;
116 Electrostar carriages for use on the Thameslink route by May 2015;
1,140 carriages for use on the Thameslink route from 2016; and
866 IEP carriages for use on the Great Western and East Coast main lines from 2017.
Other franchising authorities, such as Transport Scotland and Transport for London, are also involved in ordering new trains such as for Crossrail.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has assessed the consequences for safety of introducing new rolling stock which is not configured to employ a conductor or guard. [182004]
Stephen Hammond: This is a matter for the train operator.
Thameslink Railway Line
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Thameslink improvement programme on over-crowding on the Northern Line tube. [181864]
Stephen Hammond: The Thameslink programme is expected to relieve crowding on London Underground Services by reducing the need to interchange from rail onto underground services and providing more capacity between North London and South London and across Central London.
The Northern Line is expected to benefit from this crowding relief particularly on the City branch between King's Cross/St Pancras and London Bridge, which will benefit from the enhanced Thameslink service, and on the Charing Cross branch which is expected to benefit from passengers from north of London choosing to interchange at Blackfriars in order to travel to the West End.
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the accessibility of the Thameslink line for disabled people. [181866]
Stephen Hammond: There are 50 stations which are currently served by ‘Thameslink’ services—either between Bedford and Brighton or via the Wimbledon loop.
Step free access from street to platform and between all platforms is available at 23 of these stations. A further station, Elstree and Borehamwood, is expected to be added to this total in July, funded by Access for All. When complete the new London Bridge station will also provide accessible routes to all platforms.
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These improvements will mean 50% of stations served by current ‘Thameslink’ services will have an accessible route from platform to street.
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effect of Thameslink on the local economy in London. [181867]
Stephen Hammond: In calculating the costs and benefits associated with the Thameslink programme, the Department for Transport has estimated that there are likely to be wider economic impacts of around £1.3 billion over the 60-year appraisal period. These are expected to be realised from agglomeration, increased and more productive employment and the taxation benefits of these. Although a figure does not exist for London only, most of these benefits are expected to arise from employment in London.
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of passengers who will use the Thameslink service in 2015. [181870]
Stephen Hammond: The Department does not hold forecasts of the number of passengers who will use Thameslink services in 2015. However, it estimates that 71.6 million journeys will be made on Thameslink services in financial year 2015-16. This estimate includes an element of double-counting: because of the way journeys are recorded by rail industry systems, a single journey passing through London Blackfriars in either direction will score as two journeys, not one.
Transport for London
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions he and his officials have had with the Mayor of London and his officials about reductions in the Transport for London subsidy; [180716]
(2) what representations he has received from the Mayor of London and his officials about reductions in the Transport for London subsidy. [180717]
Stephen Hammond: Since the SR13 Transport for London (TFL) funding agreement was published last year, the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), has held regular meetings with the Mayor, and there has been frequent contact between Department for Transport and TFL officials. These discussions have often included reviewing the progress TFL has made towards delivering its Savings and Efficiencies Programme and the shared commitments outlined in the funding agreement.
West Coast Railway Line
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held or his officials have held with Alstom (a) in respect of its decision to restructure its transport sector and (b) in respect of the future of Alstom West Coast Traincare. [181839]
Stephen Hammond: Alstom is a private sector company. There have been no discussions with Alstom in either respect.
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Cabinet Office
Fire Services
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent discussions he has had on the use of public service mutuals in the provision of fire services. [181405]
Mr Maude: Supporting the creation and growth of public service mutuals is Government policy, so my Department continues to work with other Departments to explore options for this in a variety of public services, including fire and rescue. As was the case under previous Administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012
Dr Offord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the potential benefits for the social investment market of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012; and if he will make an assessment of the potential for local charities to deliver local authority services under the provisions of that Act. [180799]
Mr Hurd: A growing number of local councils are working innovatively with charities in response to the Social Value Act. In addition, the Government is pursuing a range of other reforms to make it easier for charities to deliver local authority services, such as reducing bureaucracy around procurement. As a result of this and our efforts to promote social investment, the UK social investment market is growing rapidly.
Voluntary Work: Young People
Dr Offord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how young people in Hendon constituency can participate in the Step Up To Serve programme; [180796]
(2) how young people in Hendon constituency can access the Youth Social Action Fund. [180798]
Mr Hurd: Step Up To Serve (SUTS) launched on 21 November 2013. It is led by HRH the Prince of Wales and aims to double the number of young people participating in youth social action by 2020.
In support of SUTS, the Cabinet Office launched the Youth Social Action Fund (YSAF) in June, offering financial support to trial social action programmes initially in four geographic areas: Middlesbrough, Lancashire, Birmingham and Kent. However, young people in your constituency may wish to participate in the National Citizen Service (NCS). Further information can be found at:
http://www.ncsyes.co.uk
Communities and Local Government
Bournemouth
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to visit Bournemouth. [180803]
Brandon Lewis:
Ministers consider future visits on a regular basis and frequently travel around the country to discuss a range of issues. I would note that the
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Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), visited Bournemouth in August 2013 and the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley (Kris Hopkins), and I will separately be visiting Bournemouth early this year to look at housing for older people and local government transformation.
Council Tax Reduction Schemes: Birmingham
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people applied for hardship funding in Birmingham in the most recent year for which figures are available; what proportion of those people received such funding; and what the average amount was of such funding. [180724]
Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect information on any funding local authorities provide to help their citizens who find themselves in hardship.
Green Belt: Sutton Coldfield
Mr Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if his Department will take steps to ensure that alternatives to building on the Sutton Coldfield green belt have been fully explored by the Birmingham City Council Development Plan when submitted in 2014. [180781]
Nick Boles [holding answer 19 December 2013]: The green belt has a valuable role protecting against urban sprawl and providing a green lung round our towns and cities.
The National Planning Policy Framework, which maintains national green belt protection, explains that the green belt serves to:
check unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;
assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and
assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.
Local authorities should plan to meet their objectively assessed development needs, as far as is consistent with national policy as a whole. In doing so they should thoroughly explore all options for meeting needs, working with neighbouring authorities constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis.
Green belt boundaries can be revised only in exceptional circumstances through the Local Plan process.
Homelessness: Greater London
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written answer of 27 November 2013, Official Report, column 334W, on homelessness: foreign nationals, how many and what proportion of households receiving assistance from local authorities in London under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1996 in 2012-13 were foreign nationals; and what the reasons were for their eligibility for such assistance, by nationality. [180737]
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Kris Hopkins: I have placed a table setting out the requested information in the Library of the House.
These figures—and almost a third of those households accepted as homeless in London are foreigners—endorse the need for strong controls on immigration and back up the Government's agenda of addressing the ‘pull’ factors that previously led to unsustainable impacts on this country.
My Department's activities have included education campaigns led by the voluntary sector warning those coming here without appropriate support about the dangers of ending up destitute and sleeping rough.
Housing: Armed Forces
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what advice has been given to local authorities on accepting service families who have received a notice to vacate from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation; and whether information for divorcing families is included in any such advice. [180862]
Kris Hopkins: The Government take its responsibilities to service personnel and their families very seriously.
DCLG wrote to local authorities reminding them that statutory homelessness guidance says they should not insist upon a court order for possession to establish that entitlement to occupy services accommodation has ended but instead should ensure that service personnel receive timely and comprehensive advice on the housing options available as soon as they receive a “Certificate of Cessation of Entitlement to Occupy Service Living Accommodation”.
The homelessness legislation also affords a person who is vulnerable as a result of having been a member of Her Majesty's services priority need for accommodation.
Last year we changed the law by regulation so that former personnel with urgent housing needs are always given 'additional preference' (high priority) for social housing; and councils are prevented from applying local connection requirements to disqualify members of the armed forces and those within five years of leaving the Services from their housing waiting list.
We have issued new statutory allocations guidance which makes clear that, when adopting a residency test for social housing, we expect local authorities to consider the wider needs of the armed forces community, and to be sympathetic to changing family circumstances, recognising, for example, that the spouses and partners of Service personnel can also be disadvantaged by the need to move from base to base.
Housing: Overcrowding
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what proportion of residents of each local authority are currently living in over-crowded accommodation (a) in total, (b) in the social rented sector, (c) in the private rented sector and (d) in owner-occupied accommodation; [182028]
(2) which 100 local authority wards have the highest proportion of households living in over-crowded accommodation (a) in total, (b) in the social rented
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sector,
(c)
in the private rented sector and
(d)
in owner-occupied accommodation; [182029]
(3) which 100 local authority wards had the largest percentage increase in over-crowding in the (a) private and (b) social rented sectors between 2001 and 2011. [182030]
Kris Hopkins: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 10 October 2013, Official Report, column 393W.
Sleeping Rough
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what provisions have been made for homeless rough sleepers over the Christmas period; and what estimate he has made of the change in the numbers of rough sleepers since Christmas 2012. [180806]
Kris Hopkins: We are providing £470 million over the current spending review to help prevent homelessness and tackle rough sleeping. Local authorities and homelessness charities have services in place to help rough sleepers throughout the year. Special arrangements are made during periods of severe cold weather, such as can happen over Christmas, to bring rough sleepers in off the streets.
We have introduced the Streetlink digital service and national telephone line so that members of the public concerned someone is sleeping rough can get them the help they need. We are promoting the national roll out of No Second Night Out so rough sleepers can be helped off the streets quickly.
The 2013 rough sleeping statistics will be published in February.
Defence
Cycling
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Government's Cycle to Work scheme. [181920]
Anna Soubry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor, the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois), on 25 February 2013, Official Report, column 18W, to the right hon. Member for Exeter (Mr Bradshaw). The position remains as it was then.
Military Bands
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel are members of military bands. [181276]
Anna Soubry: There are some 1,380 regular members of the armed forces who are military musicians in the established military bands of the three services.
Military Decorations: World War II
Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when processing of the applications for the Arctic Star medal began; and how many such applications have been processed since that date. [181709]
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Anna Soubry: The processing of applications for the Arctic Star began in February 2013 and the first medals were issued in March 2013. To date, some 6,240 medals have been issued to eligible veterans and widows.
Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current waiting time is for the processing of applications for the Arctic Star medal. [181725]
Anna Soubry: Due to the current volume of applications, priority is being given to those received from surviving veterans and widows. The current time taken to process applications from veterans is around two weeks, and it is anticipated that those already received from widows will be completed early this year. Applications received from other next of kin will be processed in strict date order, and are expected to be completed by April 2015.
Sovereignty: Scotland
Mr Gordon Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the pro rata population adjusted cost of defence provision in Scotland in 2016-17; and what the Scottish Government estimate those costs will be for 2016-17 in an independent Scotland. [180865]
Dr Murrison: Defence is organised, resourced and managed on a UK basis to provide high levels of protection and security for all parts of the UK and its citizens at home and abroad. Decisions on spending are based on meeting Defence requirements and ensuring value for money. The Defence budget is for the whole of the UK and is not apportioned on a regional basis. As part of the UK, Scotland benefits from the full range of UK Defence capabilities and activities funded by the Defence budget. The UK Government are confident that the Scottish people will vote to remain part of the United Kingdom and are not planning for an independent Scotland. In the event of a vote to leave the UK, it would be for the Scottish Government to determine the Defence budget for an independent Scottish state.
Unmanned Air Vehicles
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2013, Official Report, column 307W, on unmanned air vehicles, what steps he has taken to facilitate referral of remotely piloted aircraft weapon discharge reports to the ISAF Joint Incident Assessment Team. [R] [181719]
Dr Murrison: UK armed forces fully comply with ISAF reporting procedures for all UK remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) missions in Afghanistan. Joint incident assessment teams are assembled on the orders of empowered ISAF commanders to investigate specific incidents or allegations. Once an investigation is complete the team is disbanded.
Veterans
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support he has provided to armed forces veterans since 2010. [180792]
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Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence works with other Government Departments, the devolved Administrations and voluntary sector organisations to ensure that the needs and circumstances of armed forces veterans are understood and addressed.
The Armed Forces Covenant underlines the Government's commitment to ensuring that all the members of the armed forces community, which includes families and veterans, receive the support and recognition they deserve. In December 2011, a Cabinet-level Committee was established to oversee the Covenant programme of work and ensure that momentum is maintained. The Committee works closely with the Covenant Reference Group, which brings together representatives from Government Departments, the Local Government Association, the devolved Administrations, service charities and the Families Federations to ensure that progress on the Covenant is maintained.
The Government have enshrined the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant in legislation and instituted a statutory requirement to report each year to Parliament. I would refer the hon. Member to the 2013 Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report published on 16 December 2013, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House which, with the 2012 Annual Report, provides fuller details of the support provided.
There is a wide range of support available to veterans including in the areas of civilian employment, health, housing, welfare and education. Particular initiatives since 2010 include implementation of all of the recommendations in respect of mental health for both service personnel and veterans contained in the "Fighting Fit" report by my hon. Friend the Minister for International Security Strategy (Dr Murrison). In addition substantial funding has been made available for national and community-based projects to support veterans with mental health problems.
the launch of the Defence Discount Service in October 2012, which provides members of the armed forces community, including veterans, with discounts both online and on the high street;
the introduction of a new Arctic Star Medal and a Bomber Command Clasp for eligible veterans as announced by the Prime Minister in December 2012; and
the LIBOR Fund allocation of some £23 million to 46 projects in the last calendar year, primarily helping veterans across the UK.
However, we are not complacent, and the Prime Minister has appointed Lord Ashcroft as the Veterans Transition Special Representative.
International Development
Burma
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the use of international law to challenge restrictions on the delivery of aid to internally displaced ethnic Kachin people. [181031]
Mr Duncan:
The UK and others in the international community regularly press the Burmese Government to ensure that aid can reach those displaced by conflict in Kachin state, and we welcome and acknowledge some
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positive moves by the Government to allow some UN convoys to reach areas under Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) control. We continue to call on the Government to allow unhindered access for humanitarian aid, in line with international humanitarian law, and to implement the agreement signed with the KIO in May 2013 to ensure humanitarian access to all conflict-affected areas.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she had with the Government of Burma about their expenditure on (a) health, (b) education and (c) defence. [181032]
Mr Duncan: DFID is providing support to Burma's peace process which includes initial work advising the Government on how to manage reforms in the security sector. DFID is also working with the World Bank on a public expenditure review which has a particular focus on assessing expenditure in the health and education sectors, and which will form the basis for discussions with Government.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which civil society organisations in Burma that (a) overtly and publicly promote human rights and democracy and (b) document human rights abuses receive funding from her Department. [181033]
Mr Duncan: The DFID Burma bilateral programme is providing a total of just over £22 million directly to 21 civil society organisations in Burma in 2013-14, some of which are involved in promoting democracy and human rights. Civil society organisations in Burma also receive DFID funding through central and regional funding streams, some of which are involved in promoting democracy and human rights.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which women's organisations in Burma that assist victims of sexual violence by the Burmese military receive funding from her Department. [181079]
Mr Duncan: Tackling violence against women is a high priority for the UK in Burma. In Kachin state, DFID is providing humanitarian assistance for over 40,000 internally displaced people, of whom 21,000 are female. This assistance includes shelter, food and in certain areas specific support for victims of conflict, including for women affected by sexual violence. In the Burmese refugee camps in Thailand we are providing support to victims of gender-based violence including outward referrals to specialist centres.
We have agreed to provide funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for two specialists to further strengthen the response to gender-based violence in the conflict-affected areas of Rakhine and Kachin states. We continue to emphasise to the Burmese Government the need to protect all citizens and respect human rights, particularly for women, and the UK has recently approved two new projects to tackle this problem in Burma, under the Foreign Secretary's Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative.
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Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether she has made an assessment of the needs of demobilised child soldiers from the Burmese Army. [181081]
Mr Duncan: The Government of Burma signed an Action Plan with UNICEF in 2012 to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers by the Burmese military. In June 2013 the Government released a further 42 children from service in the armed forces. The UK provides central core funding to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) globally, which helps assess the needs of demobilised child soldiers. UNICEF provides rehabilitation, reintegration, family-tracing and other forms of support to former child soldiers in Burma. UNICEF also provides assistance to help the military protect, respect and promote the rights of children.
Central African Republic
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic; [181083]
(2) what assessment she has made of recent attacks on women and children in Mboki and Bouali in the Central African Republic; [181084]
(3) what steps her Department is taking to protect children in the Central African Republic; [181085]
(4) what steps her Department is taking to tackle the spread of measles in the Central African Republic. [181086]
Lynne Featherstone: The humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic is deeply worrying. The UN estimates that the whole population has been affected by the conflict and that more than two million people are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance. The situation is complex and rapidly evolving, with security concerns continuing to make access for humanitarian agencies difficult. We are working closely with international partners and the UN to bring stability to the country, allowing aid to get to those who need it most.
On 30 November the UK announced a further £10 million support package to help those worst affected by the humanitarian crisis. UK support will allow the Red Cross, UN and international aid agencies to dramatically step up their relief programmes, providing emergency health care, clean water and logistical support to hundreds of thousands of people, including vulnerable women and children. This support is in addition to the £5 million funding that the UK announced on 31 July.
Developing Countries: Sanitation
Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether she will be representing the Government at the Sanitation and Water For All high level meeting in Washington DC on 11 April 2014. [181903]
Justine Greening: The Under-Secretary of State for International Development, the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone), plans to represent DFID at the 2014 Sanitation and Water For All (SWA) high level meeting.
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Philippines
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to mitigate the increased risk of sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls in the Philippines due to families in that country taking on additional debt. [180953]
Justine Greening: DFID is helping to prevent harm to vulnerable people in the Philippines, including women and girls at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse. Risks to women and girls are addressed at all levels of our response, and DFID's work with partners ensures that those providing services such as food, water and shelter do so in a way that safeguards women and children. During the recent High Level Event on Protecting Women and Girls in Emergencies, which was held just as the international response to Typhoon Haiyan was getting under way, the UK secured a commitment from other donors and agencies to prioritise the protection of women and girls in the global humanitarian response. In addition, I deployed two UK specialists in tackling violence against girls and women.
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to facilitate the recovery of livelihoods in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. [180954]
Justine Greening: The UK is helping to re-establish livelihoods and agriculture following Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines by supporting the purchase and distribution of seeds and fertiliser, as well as cash for work to help families and communities rebuild their lives. The UK is also providing the money and expertise needed to start the longer term recovery effort. The UK's support will help people to earn an income again, by providing rice seeds, restoring irrigation systems on farms, and re-establishing fisheries.
Recovery of livelihoods is being made possible due to UK support for the provision of food, shelter, clean water and medicines to up to 800,000 victims of Typhoon Haiyan. This has included more than 20,000 shelter kits, 42,000 tarpaulins, 18,000 hygiene kits and 3,000 family tents. In addition the Philippines will receive up to £5 million from the UK for four cities to plan and invest in preparedness measures, such as early warning systems, and in resilient infrastructure which support physical improvements such as drainage, housing, flood protection, and waste water systems.
Rushanara Ali:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) emergency shelter is provided in central and eastern Visayas in the
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Philippines and
(b)
early recovery building materials are provided to areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan. [180955]
Justine Greening: The information is as follows:
(a) The UK is working in partnership with the United Nations, International Organisation for Migration, non-governmental organisations and the Red Cross to provide people in need with emergency shelter in areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan, including in central and eastern Visayas. Across the Philippines, DFID has provided more than 80,000 tarpaulins, 20,000 shelter kits and 3,500 tents and supported the work of partners to enable more than 350,000 people to be provided with emergency shelter.
(b) The Government of the Philippines is leading the reconstruction process and announced its initial plans on 18 December. The UK has already committed £5 million to strengthen the resilience of four cities in the Philippines against natural disasters.
Syria
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effect of recent fighting in the Qalamoun area of Rif Dimashq in Syria on flows of refugees into Lebanon. [180981]
Justine Greening: Fighting in Qalamoun over the past month prompted the inflow of an additional 21,000 refugees into Lebanon. DFID-funded partners including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children's Fund, Save the Children, International Medical Corps and the Norwegian Refugee Council were among the organisations that provided immediate food, shelter, non-food items and health assistance.
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that unregistered Syrian refugees in Lebanon are receiving assistance in coping with winter weather. [181082]
Justine Greening: DFID is providing specific funding relating to assisting refugees during winter to UN agencies and international non-governmental organisations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Save the Children and Oxfam. Our support to UNHCR will provide 28,900 households (144,500 individuals) with a monthly cash grant of US$100 for heating fuel over three months. Our funding to Save the Children will provide 3,000 households (15,000 individuals) with weatherproofing shelter kits for winter, while Oxfam will target more than 2,000 households (over 10,000 individuals) with winterisation kits (a stove, blankets and heating fuel). Both registered and unregistered refugees will receive assistance.