To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to collect disaggregated population data on minority groups in the Middle East region to establish whether UK aid reaches those groups.
Answered on
7 January 2019
The UK is firmly committed to ensuring aid reaches the most vulnerable, including those from religious minorities, where they constitute part of that category. We conduct regular assessments through a range of sources to ensure assistance is provided in conformity with the international humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality.
UK funding is distributed on the basis of need to ensure that civilians are not discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion or ethnicity. DFID does not identify or record beneficiaries by their religion and ethnicity and does not plan to collect disaggregated population data on minority groups. Our partners carry out comprehensive vulnerability assessments to ensure aid is reaching those most in need, and we are confident that minorities, including faith communities, are not overlooked in this process.