Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support the Government has given to the Government of Nepal for (a) rebuilding, (b) supply of food and (c) energy supply.
Mr Desmond Swayne
(a) Rebuilding: DFID’s response to the devastating earthquake now stands at £70 million following further commitments made at the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction, making us one of the largest donors. DFID is working closely alongside the Government of Nepal but not directly funding it, rather collaborating with trusted UN and NGO partners to deliver on the humanitarian response both via direct in-kind assistance as well as supporting activities that contribute to an enabling environment for an effective and responsive humanitarian support. We welcome the adoption of the National Reconstruction Authority Bill and formation of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA). We will support the Government’s reconstruction vision by funding community infrastructure and social protection but not through direct financial aid. We plan to provide technical assistance and advisory support to the NRA.
(b) Supply of food: We do not work directly with the Government on this but are supporting local government by providing immediate assistance to the most vulnerable households via in kind distributions (tarpaulins, blankets, mattresses, clothes, shelter insulation, solar lamps and cook stoves). We are funding activities that contribute to an enabling environment for an effective and responsive humanitarian support. This includes funding assessments, coordination and logistics. For example DFID supported the World Food Programme’s (WFP) cash and food assistance operations in the aftermath of the earthquake. This planned to reach 1.4 million people in urgent need of assistance within the first three months of the earthquake, including distribution of rice and high-energy biscuits to prevent starvation and provide supplementary nutrition to the most vulnerable.
(c) Energy supply: DFID has committed £5 million to support delivery of renewable energy technologies to earthquake affected communities. The support includes delivery of solar home systems, mobile phone charging stations and repair of mini-hydropower plants that were damaged by the earthquake. The support is being delivered through Nepal’s Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, a semi-autonomous agency under the Ministry of Population and Environment.
