Results 1-20 of 3,355 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Gareth Thomas

Female Mortality (Africa) (11 Nov 2009)

Gareth Thomas: Let me, in the usual way, congratulate the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis) on securing the debate. I share the concerns that he raised and welcome his interest. I join him in acknowledging the important work of the all-party group on population. I was interested in his description of eRanger, particularly as it is a social enterprise, and as the vehicles it...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: East Africa (21 Oct 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced an extra £39 million of additional humanitarian assistance to the region, bringing our total contribution this year to some £83 million. That will help to supply food aid, emergency nutrition, water and sanitation, and will be delivered by the World Food Programme and UNICEF, and agencies such as Oxfam and Médecins...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: East Africa (21 Oct 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: My hon. Friend makes an important point and I congratulate him on his work with Tearfund and other similar aid agencies in his constituency. He will recognise that we are in a very different place now from where we were some 25 years ago. There has been a substantial increase in the numbers of people getting help. The proportion of people in Ethiopia in need of emergency assistance is lower...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: East Africa (21 Oct 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: We continue to provide a substantial assistance programme to Ethiopia. I hope to visit the country shortly to see for myself the challenges the hon. Gentleman describes. When we published the White Paper in July we set out our determination to do all we can to help developing countries such as Ethiopia increase agricultural production. We are therefore increasing our research budget for the...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: East Africa (21 Oct 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: I certainly will praise the work of the organisation that my hon. Friend describes and has worked with. I know that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who attended the launch of the programme that my hon. Friend describes, was also impressed by its work. My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that we continue to work closely with organisations such as UNICEF which provide support to...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: East Africa (21 Oct 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: As I alluded to in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Reed) and other Members, we accept that a series of steps need to be taken. We have to continue to provide emergency assistance to organisations such as the World Food Programme, and indeed we continue to campaign internationally for more humanitarian assistance to be provided. At the same time, we need to put in...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Ethical Investments (21 Oct 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: CDC capital is invested in accordance with CDC's updated investment code. It aims to ensure that CDC applies appropriately strong environmental, social and governance standards to its investment decisions. Specifically, it prohibits CDC investment in businesses involving hazardous products, endangered and protected wildlife, the production and trade of arms, gambling, pornography and tobacco...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Ethical Investments (21 Oct 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: My hon. Friend is right to highlight the need for more investment in agriculture, as other hon. Members have done in previous questions. We are working closely with the Americans. In particular, the G8 and others have committed more than US$20 billion over the next three years for food security and agricultural development. We are committing some £1 billion over the next three years....

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Ethical Investments (21 Oct 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: Unusually for the hon. Gentleman, he somewhat exaggerates the findings of the NAO report. Since its publication, we have put in place a further series of steps to respond to the NAO's concerns—in terms not only of monitoring pay, but of ensuring that there is independent verification of CDC's investment code. We have further asked CDC to shift more of its total investment into...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Ukraine (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: On a personal note, Mr. Speaker, may I add my congratulations to those of others on your election as Speaker? The World Bank expects Ukraine to experience a significant recession in 2009. To counter the impact of the recession, the International Monetary Fund has agreed a package with the Ukrainian Government worth $16.4 billion. Other international institutions are standing by if needed.

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Ukraine (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: I commend my right hon. Friend's interest in Ukraine and I recognise her description of the regional needs of the part of the country to which she refers. She will recognise that there are significant costs involved in the infrastructure for which she has rightly made the case. I hope she will understand when I point her to the work of the World Bank and other international financial...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Ukraine (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: We are running capacity-building programmes on democracy and good governance through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Indeed, the European Commission is also running such programmes. As I indicated in answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Stirling (Mrs. McGuire), we continue to make the case for further involvement from donors to Ukraine. Substantial donor programmes are...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Ukraine (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: I know that my hon. Friend takes a particular interest in economic growth through his work on the Select Committee on International Development. He will know from the leadership of the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State that we led work at April's G20 summit to secure additional resources for the IMF and the World Bank to focus on the needs of the poorest people in...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Fairtrade (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: Between 1999 and 2009, the Department for International Development committed just over £3 million-worth of support to Fairtrade, of which £2.6 million has so far been released. The majority of current funding is through the global Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International. We also continue to work in developing countries and internationally to improve countries' and...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Fairtrade (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: I know from a previous visit I made to Plymouth of the importance that Fairtrade is given in the town, including in my hon. Friend's constituency. I am delighted that she continues to be lobbied by supporters of Fairtrade in Plymouth for further DFID work on this issue. I can assure her that we will continue to fund Fairtrade and to work with the Fairtrade Foundation and with a series of...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Fairtrade (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: I am delighted to agree with the hon. Gentleman, and I am also delighted that his constituents—and, no doubt, others nearby—have worked so hard to ensure that Letchworth garden city is now a Fairtrade garden city. I look forward to his continuing to raise these issues at DFID questions.

Bill Presented: Leeds City Council Bill (By Order ) (3 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: This has been an interesting debate, which has carried on from previous discussions of similar private Bills. I acknowledge the contribution of my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (John Battle), who is a great champion of his city. He made a short, concise but nevertheless significant speech in favour of the Leeds City Council Bill, backed up by my hon. Friend the Member for...

Bill Presented: Leeds City Council Bill (By Order ) (3 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: I do not necessarily accept that that is the case. Where local authorities face problems, they have sought a private Bill in the usual way to address local issues. I also acknowledge that a growing number, albeit a minority, of local authorities have been concerned about how pedlar legislation has been used, and have made the case for reform. In that spirit, we have sought to conduct the...

Bill Presented: Leeds City Council Bill (By Order ) (3 Jun 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: I acknowledge the cost of bringing a private Bill to the Floor of the House of Commons. One of the reasons why the Government commissioned the Durham university research, and one of the reasons for the consultation that we are launching in the summer, is the fact that we received a number of representations from local authorities and hon. Members about the need for the Government to review...

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Burma (13 May 2009) has video

Gareth Thomas: In March the Government decided to provide an additional £20 million to Burma over two years. We will continue to address cyclone recovery needs in the Irrawaddy delta, as well as expanding our programme across the rest of the country, and we will also increase our aid to Burmese refugees in Thailand.