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Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The meeting of Ministers concerned with immigration was the 13th in the series of meetings held towards the end of each presidency since 1986.
Ministers approved a number of texts forming part of the immigration and asylum work programme endorsed by the Maastricht European Council a year ago. These consisted of
(i) A resolution on manifestly unfounded applications for asylum, which defines the cases to which it is appropriate to apply accelerated procedures ;
(ii) A resolution on "host third countries", which sets out objective criteria defining the circumstances in which it is appropriate to return an asylum applicant to a safe third country for substantive consideration of the application ;
(iii) Conclusions on countries in which there is generally no serious risk of persecution, which create a presumption against the claim of an asylum applicant from a country which is generally regarded as safe ;
(iv) A recommendation regarding practices followed by member states on expulsion, designed to encourage best practice both in the effective removal of persons unlawfully in the territory of the member states and in the application of safeguards against unjustified or arbitrary expulsion ;
(v) A recommendation regarding transit for the purposes of expulsion, which lays down procedures to be followed where it is necessary for a person being expelled to transit to another member state.
Ministers also considered a draft resolution on harmonisation of national policies on family reunification. They agreed the bulk of the text, but remitted one issue for further consideration by officials.
Ministers also approved conclusions on people displaced from former Yugoslavia and in particular the need for a more co-ordinated approach to the problem.
I am placing in the Library of the House copies of all the documents that were approved by Immigration Ministers, together with the press communique .
Ministers discussed developments on the free movement of persons in 1993 and exchanged views on their plans and intentions in respect of internal frontiers.
Discussion at the meeting of Trevi Ministers on 1 December focused on the establishment of Europol and in particular its first stage, the Europol drugs unit. The Ministers agreed that they wished to establish Europol, and in particular the Europol drugs unit, as quickly as possible. The meeting was unable to decide upon a location for the unit and this decision will now rest with the European Council.
Trevi Ministers also approved a number of reports from individual Trevi working groups on police co-operation against terrorism, police training and the co-ordination of intergovernmental police co-operation.
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Discretionary Life Sentences
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on how many occasions the new discretionary life sentence tribunals have recommended that prisoners be moved to a lower security category ; and on how many occasions that recommendation has been acted upon ;
(2) how many discretionary life sentence prisoners have appeared before the new lifer tribunals ; and how many of them have been recommended for immediate release.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Thirty-three discretionary life prisoners have so far appeared before a discretionary lifer panel of the parole board. Four prisoners have been released on life licence following a direction from the board. Of the remaining prisoners, the board has recommended that one should be released for deportation, 15 should be moved to conditions of lower security and that six should be considered for specialist treatment. These recommendations are being carefully considered.
Young Offenders
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many section 53 offenders, aged 16 years and under, are at present placed in adult prisons in England and Wales.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : According to the records held centrally, which are approximate, no offenders under 17 detained under section 53 of the Children and Young People Act 1933 were held in adult prisons in England and Wales on 31 August 1992, the latest date for which information is available. However, six such detainees were being held in remand centres.
Terrorists
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons from Northern Ireland are presently serving prison sentences in Great Britain for terrorist offences ; how many of these are serving life sentences ; and to which terrorist organisations they belong.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 1 December 1992, 16 prisoners who have given Northern Ireland as their place of birth were serving sentences in England and Wales for serious offences related to terrorism. Of these, nine are serving life sentences. It is not the practice to discuss claimed or suspected affiliation to particular organisations.
Drugs
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the Welsh prison population is made up of prisoners serving sentences for drug-related offences.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 30 June 1992, the latest date for which information is readily available, prisoners serving sentences for drugs offences accounted for approximately 3.5 per cent. of the total sentenced population and 2 per cent. of the total population, including remand and non-criminal prisoners, in prison service establishments in Wales.
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to prevent the flow of drugs into prisons.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : We have a range of measures to deter and detect attempts to bring drugs into prisons. These include searching prisoners on reception and on return from home leave or other absences ; searching or storing away visitors' hand luggage ; and searching visitors themselves where there is reason to believe that they intend to smuggle drugs in.
We search prisoners, their cells and other areas for those drugs that do find their way into prison. We have increased the number of prison dogs trained to detect drugs and each prison has received a training package to help staff detect and identify drugs. The best way to prevent drugs entering prisons is to tackle the root cause by reducing the demand. We have published detailed guidelines on the through care of drug misusers. These require all prisons to have in place effective arrangements for identifying drug users and providing clinical care and detoxification programmes where necessary. We encourage prisons to make full use of community drug agencies to provide counselling and preventive training.
Life Licence Prisoners
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life licence prisoners are currently in gaols in England and Wales.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : These figures are published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales", chapter 8 of the volume for 1990, Cm 1800.
The provisonal figure for the number of life sentenced prisoners in prison service establishments on 30 June 1991 who had been recalled from licence is 122. This compares with a total population of life sentence prisoners of 2,896 for the same date.
Public Interest Immunity Certificates
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, what is the nature of the national interest which led him to sign a public interest immunity certificate on 27 July ;
(2) pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, if he will list the police forces, prosecuting authorities and others involved in the communications regarding which he signed a public interest immunity certificate on 27 July, whether in the United Kingdom or abroad ;
(3) pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, how many communications, and over what period of time, were covered by the public interest immunity certificate he signed on 27 July ; and between what dates those communications took place ; (4) pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, what matters or issues were dealt with in the communications covered by the public interest immunity certificates he signed on 27 July ;
(5) pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 654, whether, in regard to the public interest immunity certificate he signed on 27 July, the communications covered involved matters of national security interest.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke [holding answer 1 to 4 December 1992] : The certificate asserted the public interest in protecting the confidentially of exchange of information in
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order to prevent or detect crime. I do not believe that it would be in the public interest for exchanges between police authorities investigating crime to be put into the public domain. It would not be sensible to give further details in this case.OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Peru
40. Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many bilateral aid agreements are in force between the United Kingdom and Peru.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : There are 17 agreements, two of which concern specific projects.
Voluntary Agencies (British Workers)
41. Mr. Brandreth : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are working for voluntary aid agencies overseas.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have no information on the total number of British citizens working for voluntary agencies overseas. However, the four volunteer sending agencies funded by the Overseas Development Administration have around 2,000 volunteers working in developing countries. Good Governance Policy
42. Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government next intend to review the restrictions on development aid imposed in pursuit of the good governance policy.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We keep aid allocations to individual recipient countries under regular review. This takes into account the standards of government in the countries concerned.
Somalia
43. Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the amount of aid to Somalia that has not been used for the purposes for which it was intended.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : It is impossible to estimate accurately the extent of misappropriation. There are conflicting reports. They vary according to the security of the region where aid is to be delivered and the type of assistance provided. Food aid for the centre and south of the country is most vulnerable. We hope the new UN/US operation will provide a more secure environment, which will enable more aid to be delivered to those in need. On 4 December, Baroness Chalker, the Minister for Overseas Development, announced a further contribution of £4.5 million for humanitarian assistance to Somalia. This brings Britain's contribution to Somalia's relief effort to £31.5 million in 1992.
Aid Payments
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid was paid for in (a) pound sterling and (b) other currencies, specifying which currencies, in each of the last 10 years ; and what were the percentages for each currency.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The information requested is available for only part of the last 10 years, and could be extracted from departmental records only at disproportionate cost.
World Bank
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many structured adjustment loans the World bank made in each year since 1983 ; and if he will list them by country and amount.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The number of structural adjustment loans provided by the World bank between 1983 and 1992 were :
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|Number
----------------------
1983 |15
1984 |15
1985 |16
1986 |25
1987 |31
1988 |28
1989 |33
1990 |32
1991 |33
<1>1992 |16
<1> To April.
The table provides information on the loans by country, title and amount :
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Country |Loan |Amount $ millions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Algeria |Economic Reform Loan |300.0
Algeria |Enterprise and Financial Sector Restruction |350.0
Argentina |Agricultural Sector Loan |350.0
Argentina |Trade Policy Loan |500.0
Argentina |Banking Sector Loan |400.0
Argentina |2nd Trade Policy Loan |300.0
Argentina |Public Enterprise Reform Adjustment |300.0
Argentina |Public Sector Reform
Bangladesh |Industrial Sector Loan |190.0
Bangladesh |Energy Sector Loan |175.0
Bangladesh |Financial Sector Credit |181.4
Benin |SAL I |45.0
Benin |SAL II |55.0
Bolivia |Import Reconstruction Loan |55.0
Bolivia |2nd Import Reconstruction Loan |47.1
Bolivia |Financial Sector Loan |70.0
Bolivia |SAC (SAL) |50.4
Brazil |Export Development Loan |352.0
Brazil |Agriculture and Trade Development Loan |303.0
Brazil |Agriculture Market Reform Loan |500.0
Bulgaria |SAL I |250.0
Burkina Faso |Fertilizer Loan |13.7
Burkina Faso |SAL I |80.0
Burundi |SAL I |31.2
Burundi |SAL II |90.0
Burundi |Agricultural Services Sector Loan
Cameroon |SAL I |150.0
Central African Republic |SAL I |30.0
Central African Republic |Agricultural Sector Loan |15.0
Central African Republic |SAL II |40.0
Central African Republic |SAL III |45.0
Chad |Financial Sector Loan |37.5
Chad |Transportation Loan |60.0
Chile |SAL I |250.0
Chile |SAL II |250.0
Chile |SAL III |250.0
Chile |Rural Sector Loan |300.0
Colombia |Trade and Export Diversification Loan |300.0
Colombia |Trade and Agricultural Policy |250.0
Colombia |Energy Sector Loan |300.0
Colombia |Public Sector Reform |304.0
Comoros |Macroeconomic Reform and Capital Building (SAL)|8.0
Congo |SAL I |70.0
Costa Rica |Export Development Loan |25.2
Costa Rica |SAL I |80.0
Costa Rica |SAL II |100.0
Cote d'Ivoire |SAL II |250.0
Cote d'Ivoire |SAL III |250.0
Cote d'Ivoire |Agricultural Sector Adjustment |150.0
Cote d'Ivoire |Energy Sector Loan |100.0
Cote d'Ivoire |Water Supply Sewerage Sector Adjustment |80.0
Cote d'Ivoire |Financial Sector Adjustment |200.0
Cote d'Ivoire |Human Resources Development |150.0
Cote d'Ivoire |Regulatory Reform |100.0
Czechoslovakia |SAL I
Ecuador |Agricultural Sector Loan |100.0
Ecuador |Financial Sector Loan |100.0
Egypt, Arab Republic |Structural Adjustment (SAL) |300.0
El Salvador |SAL I
Gabon |SAL I |50.0
Gambia |SAL I |16.5
Gambia |SAL II |23.0
Ghana |Trade and Import Sector Loan |40.0
Ghana |Export Rehabilitation Loan |76.0
Ghana |2nd Trade and Import Sector Loan |87.0
Ghana |Industrial Sector Loan |53.5
Ghana |Educational Sector Loan |34.5
Ghana |SAL I |115.0
Ghana |Financial Sector Loan |100.0
Ghana |SAL II |120.0
Ghana |Education SAC II |50.0
Ghana |Private Investment Promotion (SAL) |126.1
Ghana |FINSAC |100.0
Guinea |SAL I |42.0
Guinea |SAL II |65.0
Guinea |Education Sector Adjustment Loan |20.0
Guinea Bissau |Import Reconstruction Loan |15.0
Guinea Bissau |SAL I |15.0
Guinea Bissau |SAL II |23.4
Guyana |SAC
Honduras |SAL I |50.0
Honduras |SAL II |90.0
Honduras |SAC (SAL) |20.0
Honduras |Energy Sector |83.8
Hungary |Industrial Sector Loan |100.0
Hungary |2nd Industrial Sector Loan |200.0
Hungary |SAL I |200.0
Hungary |SAL II
Indonesia |Trade Policy Loan |300.0
Indonesia |2nd Trade Policy Loan |300.0
Indonesia |Private Sector Development Loan |350.0
Indonesia |Private Sector Development Loan II |250.0
India |Oil and Gas Sector Development |150.0
India |SAL
Jamaica |SAL II |60.2
Jamaica |Export Development Fund III |30.1
Jamaica |SAL III |55.0
Jamaica |Trade and Finance Sectors Loan |40.0
Jamaica |Public Enterprises Sector Loan |20.0
Jamaica |Agriculture Sector Adjustment |25.0
Jamaica |Trade and Financial Sectors Adjustment II |30.0
Jordan |Trade Adjustment
Kenya |SAL II |130.9
Kenya |Agricultural Sector Loan |60.0
Kenya |Industry and Trade Sectors Loan |112.0
Kenya |Financial Sector Loan |120.0
Kenya |Export Development |149.2
Kenya |Agricultural Sector Adjustment II |75.0
Kenya |Education Sector Adjustment Credit |100.0
Korea, Republic of |SAL II |300.0
Korea, Republic of |Industry and Finance Sectors Loan |222.0
Lao, People's Democratic |SAL I |40.0
Republic
Lao, People's Democratic |SAL II (SAC)
Republic
Madagascar |Industrial Assistance Loan |60.0
Madagascar |Agricultural Sector Loan |93.0
Madagascar |Industry and Trade Policy Loan |83.0
Madagascar |Public Sector Adjustment Loan |126.3
Malawi |Fertilizer Loan |5.0
Malawi |SAL II |55.0
Malawi |SAL III |70.0
Malawi |Industry and Trade Policy Loan |70.0
Malawi |Agriculture Sector |75.2
Mali |Public Sector Loan |40.0
Mali |Human Resources Loan |26.0
Mali |Agriculture Sector Adjustment Loan |53.0
Mali |SAL I |70.0
Mauritania |Public Sector Loan |16.4
Mauritania |Public Enterprise Loan |20.0
Mauritania |SAL I |42.4
Mauritania |Private Enterprise Sector Adjustment |42.5
Mauritania |Agricultural Sector Adjustment |25.0
| Loan/Irrigation Improvement
Mauritius |SAL II |40.0
Mauritius |Industrial Sector Loan |25.0
Mexico |Export Development Loan |352.0
Mexico |Trade Policy Loan |500.0
Mexico |2nd Trade Policy Loan |500.0
Mexico |Agricultural Sector Loan |300.0
Mexico |Fertilizer Sector Loan |265.0
Mexico |Financial Sector Loan |500.0
Mexico |Public Enterprises Reform Loan |500.0
Mexico |Industrial Sector Loan |500.0
Mexico |Industrial Restructuring Loan |250.0
Mexico |Road Transportation/Telecommunications |380.0
|Sector Adjustment
Mexico |Special Interest Support |1,260.0
Mexico |Agricultural Sector Adjustment II |400.0
Mexico |Export Sector |300.0
Morocco |Trade and Industry Policy Loan |150.4
Morocco |Agricultural Sector Loan |100.0
Morocco |2nd Trade and Industry Loan |200.0
Morocco |Educational Sector Loan |150.0
Morocco |Public Enterprises Reform Loan |240.0
Morocco |Agricultural Sector Loan |225.0
Morocco |SAL I |200.0
Morocco |Financial Sector Development |235.0
Mozambique |Economic Recovery Programme |88.6
Mozambique |Economic Recovery Programme
Nepal |SAL I |50.0
Nepal |SAL II |60.0
Nicaragua |Economic Reconstruction Credit (SAL) |120.3
Niger |SAL I |60.0
Niger |Public Enterprises Reform Loan |80.0
Nigeria |Fertilizer Sector Loan |250.0
Nigeria |Trade and Investment Sector Loan |452.0
Nigeria |2nd Trade and Investment Loan |500.0
Nigeria |Education University Development
Pakistan |Energy Sector Loan |178.0
Pakistan |Export Development Loan |70.0
Pakistan |Agricultural Sector Loan |200.0
Pakistan |2nd Energy Sector Loan |278.0
Pakistan |Financial Sector Loan |150.0
Panama |SAL I |60.2
Panama |SAL II |100.0
Papua New Guinea |SAL |50.0
Philippines |SAL II |302.3
Philippines |Agricultural Sector Loan |150.0
Philippines |Economic Recovery Programme |300.0
Philippines |Public Sector Loan |200.0
Philippines |Financial Sector Loan |300.0
Philippines |Debt Management Loan |200.0
Philippines |Environment and Natural Resources Management |224.0
Poland |SAL I |300.0
Poland |Financial Institutions Development |200.0
Poland |Restructuring and Privatisation
Rwanda |SAL I
Sao Tome and Principe |SAL I |7.0
Sao Tome and Principe |SAC II |9.8
Senegal |SAL II |64.0
Senegal |SAL III |85.0
Senegal |Banking Financial Sector |45.0
Senegal |SAL IV |80.0
Sierra Leone |Agricultural Sector Loan |21.5
Somalia |Agricultural Sector Loan |62.6
Somalia |2nd Agricultural Sector Loan |70.0
Sri Lanka |Economic Reconstruction Credit |95.2
Sri Lanka |Public Manufacturing Enterprise Adjustment |120.0
Sudan |2nd Agricultural Rehabilitation Loan
Tanzania |Multisector Rehabilitation Programme |96.2
Tanzania |Industry Rehabilitation and Trade Loan |135.0
Tanzania |Agricultural Adjustment Credit |211.3
Tanzania |Financial Sector |200.0
Thailand |SAL II |175.0
Togo |SAL I |40.0
Togo |SAL II |37.8
Togo |SAL III |45.0
Togo |SAL IV |55.0
Togo |Population/Health Adjustment |14.2
Trinidad and Tobago |SAL |40.0
Tunisia |Agricultural Sector Loan |150.0
Tunisia |Industry and Trade Policy Loan |150.0
Tunisia |SAL I |150.0
Tunisia |2nd Agricultural Sector Loan |84.0
Tunisia |Private Enterprise Investment |130.0
Tunisia |Economic and Financial Reform Support (SAL) |250.0
Turkey |SAL IV |300.8
Turkey |SAL V |376.0
Turkey |Agricultural Sector Loan |300.0
Turkey |Financial Sector Loan |300.0
Turkey |Energy Sector Loan |325.0
Turkey |2nd Financial Sector Loan
Uganda |Agricultural Sector Loan |70.0
Uganda |Economic Recovery Programme |65.0
Uganda |Economic Recovery II |126.6
Uganda |Agricultural Sector Adjustment Credit |100.0
Uganda |SAC I (SAL) |125.0
Uruguay |Agricultural Sector Loan |60.0
Uruguay |SAL I |80.0
Uruguay |SAL II |140.0
Uruguay |DDSR Support (DRL)
Venezuela |Trade Policy Loan |353.0
Venezuela |SAL I |402.0
Venezuela |Financial Sector Adjustment |300.0
Venezuela |Public Enterprise Reform |350.0
Venezuela |Interest Support Loan
Yugoslavia |SAL I |275.0
Yugoslavia |Fertilizer Loan |90.0
Yugoslavia |SAL II
Zaire |Industrial Sector Loan |80.0
Zaire |SAL I |149.3
Zambia |Export Rehabilitation and Diversification |75.0
Zambia |Agricultural Sector Loan |35.0
Zambia |Industrial Sector Loan |62.0
Zambia |Economic Recovery Programme |50.0
Zambia |Recovery Credit (SAL) |237.2
Zimbabwe |Export Industry Policy Loan |70.6
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff are employed in the United Kingdom's executive director's office at the World bank in Washington DC ; and if he will give details of their duties.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The United Kingdom executive director at the World bank, who is also our executive director at the International Monetary Fund, is supported by an alternate director for each institution and by six technical assistants. Details of the activities of the board of directors are set out in the World bank's annual report, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House.
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Iraq
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is currently being made by his Department in securing direct flights containing humanitarian aid into Iraqi Kurdistan.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Together with other contributors to humanitarian operations in northern Iraq, we believe that road, rather than air, transport is the most cost-effective way of getting aid to those who need it. We have therefore supported the United Nations plan of action which gives priority to ensuring the delivery of relief supplies by road.
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Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts are currently undertaken by his Department to alleviate any difficulties faced by the Kurdish people of northern Iraq as a direct result of the United Nations imposed sanctions against Iraq.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The difficulties faced by the Kurdish people of northern Iraq result from the actions of the Baghdad Government, including an internal embargo on the supply of essential goods, rather than from United Nations sanctions. Food, medicine and other goods for essential civilian needs are not covered under the terms of the United Nations sanctions resolutions.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the European Community to ensure that assistance granted to Iraqi Kurdistan is channelled through the Iraqi Kurdish National Assembly and non-governmental organisations.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We are in regular contact with the Commission of the European Community about humanitarian assistance to Kurdish areas of northern Iraq. Like our own bilateral aid, EC aid to these areas is being channelled through non-governmental organisations and the World Food Programme.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United Nations concerning the delivery of food, fuel, medicine and reconstruction equipment and material for water, sanitation and shelter for the Kurdish people of Northern Iraq.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We hold regular discussions with the United Nations on these issues. My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development met the head of the United Nations department of humanitarian affairs on 7 December, and agreed with him on the urgent need for the provision of relief supplies to northern Iraq, in view of the imminent onset of winter.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to channel aid to the Kurdish people of northern Iraq either through the United Nations or through the Iraqi Kurdish National Assembly.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Our bilateral aid to northern Iraq has been channelled through UN agencies, and through British and Kurdish non- governmental organisations. Details of our latest pledge were given in my reply of 26 October to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney), at column 433.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Turkey concerning the transport of non-military aid through Turkey to Iraqi Kurdistan.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We hold regular discussions with the Government of Turkey on humanitarian operations in northern Iraq. We welcome the cooperation which they have given in enabling food and other relief goods to be transported from Turkey to Kurdish areas of Iraq.
Mr. Rooney : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for helping the Kurds in Iraq.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have spent £52.4 million since April 1991 on aid for Iraqi civilians. Further relief assistance is urgently needed before the onset of winter. We are therefore making available today a further £2.6 million, of which about £2.4 million will be provided to the World Food Programme for urgently needed edible oil and pulses, and the remainder to British non-governmental organisations for relief activities in northern Iraq.
Forests
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what countries have benefited from United Kingdom bilateral aid assistance under the tropical forestry action plan ; and how much money has been pledged and disbursed in relation to each recipient country.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The following countries/areas have benefited from United Kingdom bilateral aid assistance under agreed tropical forestry action plans over the last five years.
|Pledged £ million |Disbursed £ million
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belize |Total to be determined|0.404
Cameroon |1.900 |1.000
Caribbean Community |0.294 |0.245
Costa Rica |0.706 |0
Ghana |5.491 |3.566
Honduras |4.152 |1.765
Jamaica |Total to be determined|0.012
Nepal |9.285 |3.613
Papua New Guinea |0.229 |0.182
Sri Lanka |10.343 |5.900
|--- |---
Total |32.400 |16.687
Mr. Meacher:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the publication of the African Development bank's forestry policy will take place.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The African Development bank's forestry policy paper was issued in draft on 2 December 1992. Internal consultations are expected to be completed by end-January 1993, and publication should follow shortly thereafter.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of bilateral forestry projects approved for Brazil with total estimated costs.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Following is the information :
1. ABRACOS (Anglo-Brazilian Amazonian climate observation study) operates in the states of Amazonas, Para and Rondonia. The British Institute of Hydrology (IH) is Project Manager, and INPE (Space Research Institute), is the lead Brazilian collaborating institute, together with INPA (National Research Institute for Amazonia) and CENA (Centre for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture). The project is a study of the impact of deforestation on climate. The objective is to improve the accuracy and credibility of general circulation model (GCM) predictions of the climatic consequences of Amazonian deforestation by addressing the land/atmosphere interaction and the difference in near surface climate associated with forest clearance. The project
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follows the pioneering work of IH and INPE in the mid-1980s and involves the establishment of four field measuring stations in Amazonas, Para and Rondonia. The Amazonas sites were established in 1990, and the other two set up during 1991. Brazilian scientists take field readings throughout the year, and British scientists participate in periodic intensive field missions. The project was agreed in March 1990 and the first field mission was in September-November 1990. The total cost of the project to ODA is £2.9 million over five years, including the £0.5 million of specialist equipment.2. Caxiuana research station project, Para state has the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi as project manager. The project involves the establishment of a new biological research station in the Caxiuana national forest, with appropriate infrastructure and facilities. We are providing financial support for local construction costs, transport (vehicles and boats) and laboratory equipment, and technical assistance (mainly short-term inputs, plus one full-time expert). The project will provide a well-equipped research station in an undisturbed forest area rich in biodiversity. It should become one of the leading facilities for rainforest research anywhere in the tropics. Construction commenced in February 1992. The cost to ODA is £1.28 million over three years.
3. The aromatic plants development project, Para state has the British Natural Resources Institute (NRI) and Museu Goeldi as joint project managers. FCAP (facility of agricultural science of the university of Para) is also collaborating. The project is an evaluation of the economic potential of the aromatic plants of the state of Para, through a study of indigenous aromatic plants and two applied research programmes concerned with the development potential of rosewood and the aromatic herbs of the piper genus. The project involves a series of short-term consultancies and a programme of plant collection and analysis in Brazil and Britain. Field collections and trials are under way and a natural products laboratory built and equipped. The cost to ODA is £0.6 million over three years, starting in 1991.
4. The floodplain forest ecology and management project, near Belem, Para state has the Museu Goeldi as project manager. The project consists of biological studies of the ecology, natural regeneration and flora of flooded forest, economic studies of farm/forest production systems and an extension programme based at Combu island near Belem. The cost to ODA is £0.24 million over two years, from 1991.
5. The Tocantins forestry and rural development project, Para state aims to conserve the forest in the Brazil nut zone around Maraba through improving the farming systems and living conditions of small farmers. The project will develop ways of improving agricultural productivity and stability through the introduction of agroforestry, tree crops and better marketing systems. Ways of managing and conserving the remaining forest will also be investigated. IDESP (Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Para state) is project manager but field implementation is in the hands of the Tocantins agroenvironmental centre, a local NGO which brings together small farmers from the Maraba area together with researchers from the university of Para. The project was approved in September 1991. The ODA contribution amounts to £1.1 million over three years and consists of technical assistance, training material and equipment.
6. Forest biomass and nutrients research project, Manaus, Amazonas state with INPA (National Research Institute for Amazonia) and NRI as project managers. The proposal involves research on the distribution and dynamics of biomass and minerals in tropical forest. The cost to ODA is £1.74 million over three years, starting this year. 7. The central Amazonia flora and vegetation project, near Manaus, Amazonas state. The project has been designed by INPA and the royal botanic gardens, Kew. It consists of botanical collections, taxonomic studies, the production of a guide to the flora of the Ducke reserve near Manaus, and vegetation-type mapping in central Amazonia. The cost to ODA is £0.57 million over three years, starting this year. 8. Rainforest silviculture research project, CPATU. The eastern Amazonia agroforestry research centre of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Institute (CPATU-EMBRAPA), Belem, is managing this project. The five year programme of studies on forest growth, production and
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regeneration, timber extraction techniques and genetic resource conservation is aimed at improving forest management. The ODA contribution will consist primarily of training and provision of technical assistance in tropical forest research, and will cost £2.2 million over five years starting this year.9. Tapajos national forest management project. We are providing £0.85 million through the International Tropical Timber Organisation to support IBAMA (the Federal Environment Institute) to set up a system of sustainable logging practices in a 5,000 hectare area of the Tapajos national forest. Commercial logging will take place under licence to IBAMA. The project aims to provide a model of sustainable logging for Brazil. The project will be managed by the ITTO ; ODA will be represented on a project steering committee. The project was agreed in April 1992, and will last five years.
10. Implementation of the Lake Mamiraua ecological station, near Tefe, Amazonas state. The project involves protection and development of a management plan for 200,000 hectares of flooded forest within a recently established state ecological station. It aims to establish a programme that integrates the conservation of biodiversity with the livelihood of local people living within the protected area. Estimated cost to ODA is £1.6 million over three years. The project is also being funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature and World Conservation International. It is expected to begin shortly.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions have been passed to the British executive director at the African Development bank regarding that organisation's planned publication of a forestry policy.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have encouraged the bank for some time to establish and publish its forestry policy. We are currently considering the draft proposals which we have just received.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with Senhor Sydney Possuelo, the head of Brazil's Indian Agency, about the illegal mahogany trade with Britain.
African Development Bank
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff are employed in the United Kingdom's executive director's office at the African Development bank in Abidjan ; and if he will give details of their duties.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The United Kingdom shares a constituency with Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. The executive director is assisted by an alternate executive director--who is part time--an adviser and an assistant. The board of directors considers all lending proposals and a wide range of policy documents. Details of its work are set out in the bank's annual report, which is available in the Libraries of the House.
Education Partners Overseas
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to announce a decision concerning the submission for grant aid made by Education Partners Overseas ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The application from Education Partners Overseas will be considered, along with other claims, early next year when we consider the allocation of our information budget for the coming financial year.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Pit Closures
Mr. Michael Brown : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the per capita expenditure to be borne by the Exchequer, involved in redundancy payments for the closure proposals announced by British Coal in October ; and to what extent such payments are subject to the approval of the EC.
Mr. Eggar : The British Coal redundancy terms give maximum payments of £37,000 per employee. The Exchequer funds 90 per cent. of such payments direct to the corporation through restructuring grant. Restructuring grant payments have European Community approval and are notified annually to the Commission.
Mr. Churchill : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of the report by John T. Boyd, the American mining consultant, commissioned by his Department ; how many of the 31 pits earmarked for closure by British Coal the report indicated could become viable within the next three to four years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 4 December 1992] : No. I have made arrangements for the report to be made available to the Select Committee in confidence. The Boyd report prepared for my Department earlier this year contains detailed information on individual pits which is commercially confidential. It did not assess the viability of individual collieries, but looked at the scope for productivity improvements and cost reductions in a group of representative collieries.
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