To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals effectively recognise the potential human and environmental costs arising from a growing proportion of the global population living in urban slums.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals effectively recognise the potential human and environmental costs arising from a growing proportion of the global population living in urban slums.

This Library Note provides background reading on the successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals.

This Library Note provides background reading on the successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals.

: I certainly will, because that is one of the issues that we must deal with. I want to come directly to my hon. Friend's question about slum upgrading. We are funding work on that, and I saw an example—the concreting of alleyways—on my visit to India last year. We...

: I certainly will, because that is one of the issues that we must deal with. I want to come directly to my hon. Friend's question about slum upgrading. We are funding work on that, and I saw an example—the concreting of alleyways—on my visit to India last year. We...

: Clearly the debate must continue. I wonder whether my right hon. Friend will take the matter up in the White Paper. Will he ensure that the urbanisation agenda is given a higher priority?

: Clearly the debate must continue. I wonder whether my right hon. Friend will take the matter up in the White Paper. Will he ensure that the urbanisation agenda is given a higher priority?

: I could not agree more. Such problems in urban areas need to be solved from the bottom up. Of course, they need help, support and funding from the top down; small organisations will not fund themselves. With support from DFID and from multilateral agencies, local grass-roots initiatives and small-scale...

: I could not agree more. Such problems in urban areas need to be solved from the bottom up. Of course, they need help, support and funding from the top down; small organisations will not fund themselves. With support from DFID and from multilateral agencies, local grass-roots initiatives and small-scale...

: My hon. Friend mentions Charles Booth and his seminal work on poverty in London. It is no surprise that Charles Booth was a north-west Leicestershire person, who was equally generous with his time, ideas and resources to the people of Thringstone, in my constituency, where his memory and successes...

: My hon. Friend mentions Charles Booth and his seminal work on poverty in London. It is no surprise that Charles Booth was a north-west Leicestershire person, who was equally generous with his time, ideas and resources to the people of Thringstone, in my constituency, where his memory and successes...

: I join hon. Members in congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on having done us all a great service by securing this debate. She has a keen interest in urban matters, which dates back many years. It was evident during her time as a...

: I join hon. Members in congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on having done us all a great service by securing this debate. She has a keen interest in urban matters, which dates back many years. It was evident during her time as a...

: The hon. Gentleman is right that we must condemn the slum clearance schemes in other countries—I entirely endorse what he said. The reason why I have not done so is partly the time left for debate and partly that he did so very effectively in his speech. When I...

: The hon. Gentleman is right that we must condemn the slum clearance schemes in other countries—I entirely endorse what he said. The reason why I have not done so is partly the time left for debate and partly that he did so very effectively in his speech. When I...

: What the hon. Gentleman says about Zimbabwe is right, and he is right to speak out against it. May I invite him to speak out as loudly and passionately about the very similar slum clearances in Lagos, Nairobi and Khartoum? The danger of always focusing only on Zimbabwe is...

: What the hon. Gentleman says about Zimbabwe is right, and he is right to speak out against it. May I invite him to speak out as loudly and passionately about the very similar slum clearances in Lagos, Nairobi and Khartoum? The danger of always focusing only on Zimbabwe is...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on securing a debate that she described as historic; it has been enormously interesting and at times illuminating. At the beginning of her speech, she set out the issues that she wanted to cover today, and she has set the...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on securing a debate that she described as historic; it has been enormously interesting and at times illuminating. At the beginning of her speech, she set out the issues that she wanted to cover today, and she has set the...

: That is a valid point; clearly there area money and businesses in the slums and there are dynamic entrepreneurs. If that money could circulate in the same area, there could be a vast improvement. Without a doubt, those who receive those high rents do not live in the slums....

: That is a valid point; clearly there area money and businesses in the slums and there are dynamic entrepreneurs. If that money could circulate in the same area, there could be a vast improvement. Without a doubt, those who receive those high rents do not live in the slums....

: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the fact that slum properties can generate money makes it possible to look at the financial mechanisms that can be used for slum upgrading, and to provide improved housing and greater security of tenure for slum dwellers?

: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the fact that slum properties can generate money makes it possible to look at the financial mechanisms that can be used for slum upgrading, and to provide improved housing and greater security of tenure for slum dwellers?

I congratulate the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on securing the debate. As the hon. Member for City of York (Hugh Bayley) mentioned, it is key that the issue be discussed and absorbed by the Department for International Development. One quality of urbanisation—and the hon. Member for City...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on securing the debate. As the hon. Member for City of York (Hugh Bayley) mentioned, it is key that the issue be discussed and absorbed by the Department for International Development. One quality of urbanisation—and the hon. Member for City...

: We have a lot to learn from the history of this and other European countries. Those lessons must and can be applied by leaders of urban communities in the developing world. The scale of the problem is enormous. Some 924 million people, roughly a third of the global urban...

: We have a lot to learn from the history of this and other European countries. Those lessons must and can be applied by leaders of urban communities in the developing world. The scale of the problem is enormous. Some 924 million people, roughly a third of the global urban...

I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing the debate and on her excellent contribution. When the Houses of Parliament were built, London was the biggest city in the world. Now, in 2006, many cities around the world are far bigger. May I make a plea about utilities? This country has...

I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing the debate and on her excellent contribution. When the Houses of Parliament were built, London was the biggest city in the world. Now, in 2006, many cities around the world are far bigger. May I make a plea about utilities? This country has...

: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that. I was not aware of the report nor was I about to deal with that point. However, since it is on the record, I am sure that others will refer to it. I hope that my right hon. Friend...

: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that. I was not aware of the report nor was I about to deal with that point. However, since it is on the record, I am sure that others will refer to it. I hope that my right hon. Friend...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on securing this debate on an important topic. I was not aware that it is the first time that Parliament has ever debated it. It is to her credit that she followed up the meeting of the all-party...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on securing this debate on an important topic. I was not aware that it is the first time that Parliament has ever debated it. It is to her credit that she followed up the meeting of the all-party...

: The hon. Gentleman, my neighbour from Kettering, is right that the provision of utilities in slum areas is a major challenge. Access to clean drinking water, one of the targets for the millennium development goals, is essential, particularly for child health. I am sure that my right hon. Friend...

: The hon. Gentleman, my neighbour from Kettering, is right that the provision of utilities in slum areas is a major challenge. Access to clean drinking water, one of the targets for the millennium development goals, is essential, particularly for child health. I am sure that my right hon. Friend...