§ Mr. BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid programmes her Department is supporting in Pakistan; and what criteria she is adopting in determining which aid programmes to support.[99895]
§ Mr. FoulkesDirect development assistance to the Government of Pakistan remains frozen following my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's announcement of 15 October. Through civil society channels we are continuing programmes that directly help the poor.
Our priorities include support for improved rural livelihoods, better basic education and health services and assistance to tackle child labour issues. We screen all proposed programmes to ensure they are poverty focused and take account of issues such as gender equality and environmental impact as a matter of course.
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