International development
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on international development. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 22.02.2013 | The 0.7% aid target |
| This note examines the definition of the 0.7% aid target, its origins and the UK's and other countries' performance against it. It also summarises recent attempts to enshrine the target in legislation and some criticism of its relevance. | |
| 20.02.2013 | In brief: Malawi under President Joyce Banda |
| Joyce Banda became Malawi's president in turbulent circumstances in April 2012 and since then has sought to build domestic support and win back previously alienated Western donors through an economic and political reform programme. While she has had some successes, there is currently growing public discontent about the economy and her political position is still vulnerable. Her prospects in the 2014 elections are uncertain. | |
| 21.12.2012 | Large-scale land acquisitions in developing countries - camouflage for 'land grabbing'? |
| Oxfam has launched a campaign on the issue of 'land-grabbing' - or what others would call 'large-scale land acquisitions' - in developing countries around the world, including by foreign governments or companies, with the World Bank primarily in its sights. This note is a brief introduction to the debate, current multilateral initiatives on the issue and the stance of the UK Government. | |
| 23.11.2012 | In brief: deja vu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo |
| On 20 November, forces belonging to the March 23 (M23) armed group seized Goma, the main city in eastern DRC. This note briefly surveys the events of recent days and the many echoes of the past that they evoke. It also looks at the roles of Rwanda and Uganda, which is leading Western governments, including the UK, to review their aid programmes to both countries. | |
| 22.11.2012 | Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative |
| This note summarises the main features of the extractive industries transparency initiative and outlines the sphere of operations of the UK's main mining companies. The note is prepared for the debate on 28 November 2012 on UK mining industries. |
Research Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 06.12.2012 | Pakistan in 2013 |
| 2013 will be another important year for Pakistan. Federal and provincial elections will be held during the first half of the year. If, as seems increasingly likely, the Pakistan People's Party-led Government sees out its full term in office and hands over to a civilian successor, it will be the first time in Pakistan's history that this has happened. But the political and economic situation remains highly volatile and unpredictable. | |
| 21.01.2011 | UK Defence and Security Policy: A New Approach? |
| Both the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review were published in October 2010, five months after the Government took office. This paper examines the main priorities and recommendations set out in each of those documents | |
| 11.03.2010 | Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill: Committee Stage Report |
| This is a report on the Committee Stage of the Bill. It complements Research Paper 10/17, prepared for the Commons Second Reading of the Bill. The Bill seeks to limit the amount that can be recovered by any commercial creditor of those countries designated as having unsustainable external debts. It would restrict the activities of so-called 'vulture funds', which buy developing countries' sovereign debt at discounted prices, then seek to recover its value in full through the courts. It would limit successful claims to an internationally agreed level and apply equally to all commercial creditors. At Committee Stage, a new 'sunset clause' was added. The proposed legislation would now expire after one year unless renewed for a further year or made permanent by order. | |
| 25.02.2010 | Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill [Bill 17 of 2009-10] |
| The Bill seeks to limit the amount that can be recovered by any commercial creditor of those countries designated as having unsustainable external debts. The legislation would restrict the activities of so-called 'vulture funds', which buy developing countries' sovereign debt at discounted prices, then seek to recover its value in full through the courts. It would limit successful claims to an internationally agreed level and apply equally to all commercial creditors. It would cover the 40 countries in the IMF/World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Debts incurred after the Bill's entry into force would be excluded. | |
| 13.09.2007 | Pakistan's political and security challenges |
Select Committee Reports
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 20.03.2012 | Economic impact and effectiveness of development aid. |
| Economic Affairs Select Committee (HL) report [Lords] | |
| 14.09.2011 | The impact of UK overseas aid on environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation.... |
| Government response. Environmental Audit Select Committee; Department for International Development report [Commons] | |
| 12.07.2011 | Humanitarian response to the Pakistan floods.International |
| Government response. International Development Select Committee; Department for International Development report [Commons] | |
| 22.06.2011 | The impact of UK overseas aid on environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation.... |
| Environmental Audit Select Committee report [Commons] | |
| 10.05.2011 | Department for International Development annual report and resource accounts 2009-10. |
| Government response. International Development Select Committee; Department for International Development report [Commons] |
Early Day Motions
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 08.11.2011 | ETHICAL CONSUMER AND USE OF TAX HAVENS BY COMPANIES OPERATING PUBLIC SERVICES |
| That this House congratulatesEthical Consumer for its work exposing the poor ethical record of the companies being awarded contracts to run our public services; is deeply concerned ... | |
| 31.10.2011 | PROPOSED HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONAL SERVICE MEDAL |
| That this House notes the service done by civilian and military humanitarian workers deployed by the Government in humanitarian and disaster relief operations across the globe and the ... | |
| 10.10.2011 | GLOBAL DEBT WEEK 8 TO 16 OCTOBER 2011 |
| That this House supports the aims of Global Debt Week from 8 to 16 October 2011 which highlights the need for an end to unfair debt; recognises the work of Jubilee Debt Campaign and ... | |
| 13.06.2011 | TEA TIME FOR CHANGE LOBBY |
| That this House applauds the Tea Time for Change mass lobby for international development held on 9 June 2011; congratulates ActionAid, the Catholic Overseas Development Agency (CAFOD), ... | |
| 31.03.2011 | INDIA - EU FREE TRADE AGREEMENT AND ITS EFFECT ON AFFORDABLE MEDICINES IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD |
| That this House notes that the Free Trade Agreement currently being negotiated between India and the EU is nearing finalisation; further notes that the EU is pushing for the inclusion ... |
Lords Library Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 19.11.2012 | Debate on 22 November: Successor Framework to the Millennium Development Goals |
| This Library Note provides background reading on the successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals. | |
| 03.02.2012 | Question for Short Debate on 8 February: Blockade of Gaza |
| This Library Note provides an overview of the blockade of Gaza by the Government of Israel, including its history, attempts to bypass the blockade and recent developments. It then examines the impact of the blockade on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and finally the response of the British Government. | |
| 28.11.2011 | Debate on 1 December: International Development Policy and the Situation of Dalits |
| This Library Note provides an overview of the situation of Dalits in South Asia and looks at the issue of caste-based discrimination in India. It also examines the Government's international development policy for India, currently the largest recipient of UK development aid. |
POST Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 15.06.2012 | GM in Agricultural Development |
| Almost 2 billion people suffer from chronic hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. The UK funds research into genetic modification (GM) as one option for agricultural development. This POSTnote examines the potential benefits and challenges of using genetically modified crops to improve food security in developing countries. | |
| 16.02.2012 | Resilience to Natural Hazards in Developing Nations |
| In the last 10 years, over 500,000 people have lost their lives and around 1.5 billion people have been adversely affected due to rapid-onset natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunami, floods and tropical storms. This briefing discusses the potential for science and technology to enhance resilience to such hazards in developing nations. | |
| 01.06.2008 | International migration of scientists and engineers, June 2008 |
| International migration of scientists and engineers, June 2008. POSTnote 08/309. | |
| 01.04.2008 | Research ethics in developing countries, April 2008 |
| Research ethics in developing countries, April 2008. POSTnote 08/304. | |
| 01.05.2007 | Tackling malaria in developing countries, May 2007 |
| Tackling malaria in developing countries, May 2007. POSTnote 07/284. | |
| 01.12.2006 | Food security in developing countries, December 2006. |
| Food security in developing countries, December 2006. POSTnote 06/274. |
