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Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effect on children living and attending primary schools in Coychurch Lower, Ewenny, Saint Bride's Major and Wick of a transfer of those communities to the Vale of Glamorgan unitary authority in respect of access to comprehensive schools in the proposed Bridgend unitary authority.
Mr. David Hunt : Responsibility for the admission of pupils to local education authority maintained schools rests with local authorities, and that responsibility will be unchanged under any proposals for the reorganisation of local government. Admission authorities are required not to discriminate against pupils living outside their areas in implementing their admissions policies.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the distances, by A and/or B roads, from the place, closest by road, in (a) the community of Wick, (b) the community of Saint Bride's Major, (c) the community of Ewenny and (d) the community of Coychurch Lower to (i) Bridgend and (ii) Barry.
Mr. David Hunt : The approximate distances are as follows :
Miles
|Bridgend|Barry
--------------------------------------------------------
The community of Wick to |5.1 |13.3
The community of St. Bride's
Major to |2.3 |15.3
The community of Ewenny to |1.0 |15.4
The community of Coychurch
Lower to |1.3 |16.2
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what specific criteria he used to determine that the communities of Coychurch Lower, Ewenny, Saint Bride's Major and Wick should be transferred from the borough of Ogwr to the Vale of Glamorgan under his plans for unitary authorities.
Mr. David Hunt : In considering the boundaries of the proposed unitary authorities I took account of the principles set out in the consultation paper, "The Structure of Local Government in Wales" which I published in June 1991 and, in particular : i. local authority boundaries should, as far as possible, reflect and strengthen existing community loyalties ; and
ii. local public services should be of high quality, and delivered efficiently, economically and effectively.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effect on the communities of Coychurch Lower, Ewenny, Saint Bride's Major and Wick of a transfer of those communities into the Vale of Glamorgan in respect of access to the library facilities in the town of Bridgend.
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Mr. David Hunt : The education, leisure and culture sub-group of the structures group of the WCCLG considered the provision of library services under a structure of unitary authorities.
A copy of their report has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the length of time it takes for a resident of the communities of (a) Coychurch Lower, (b) Ewenny, (c) Saint Bride's Major and (d) Wick to travel by public transport to (i)Bridgend and (ii) Barry.
Mr. David Hunt : These are matters which were put to me when I visited the area last Friday.
Farmers (EC Aid)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provision he is making to improve the service to farmers requiring maps in order to make applications for European Community financial assistance before the 14May deadline ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : Farmers may obtain advice and maps from the Ordnance Survey and their agents. In addition, to ease congestion at these outlets, I have made special arrangements for farmers to hies to provide access to maps they hold. Special arrangements have also been made with the Ordnance Survey so that the Welsh Office and ADAS can sell maps to farmers.
In the past week I have also informed livestock producers that if accurate details of forage areas cannot be established accurately by 15 May they should submit this year an estimate in hectares on a field-by-field basis. Provided that estimate proves to be either accurate or an under-statement of the area, they will not be penalised subsequently. I have therefore recommended that they estimate conservatively should they need to do so.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provision he has made to meet farmers and farming organisations to discuss the revised guidelines for European Community assistance, and to set up explanatory seminars with (a) a ministerial presence and (b) official presence only.
Mr. David Hunt : My Department has gone to considerable lengths to inform the farming industry of the changes to the various premium schemes, including the introduction of the integrated administration and control system (IACS), arising from the reforms of the common agricultural policy. Between January and March senior officials ran 10 seminars throughout Wales to explain the new rules and grant application procedures. They have also, upon invitation, addressed meetings of both local and national organisations with an interest in the industry.
Special additional arrangements have been made to advise farmers about the completion of their IACS returns. I have established free-phone helplines in the divisional offices of my Agricultural Department which have received over 10,000 calls. I also commissioned ADAS to undertake an awareness campaign and provide on the spot training at markets and places where farmers gather throughout Wales. By Friday 23 April, in
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conjunction with my officials they had held some 150 such events, attended by approximately 6,500 farmers. These will continue right up to the deadline of 15 May and concentrate more on form filling in working groups and clinics. I have participated in several of these clinics in various parts of Wales. I shall also be meeting representatives of farming unions next week.SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensions
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimates he has made, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", assuming a unified pension age of 60 years, of the rate of increase in pension above price inflation which would be consistent with the combined national insurance contribution rate in 2035 being 19.4 per cent., and of the equivalent rate of single pension ;
(2) what estimates he has made, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", assuming a unified state pension age of 65 years, of the rate of increase in pension above price inflation which would be consistent with the combined national insurance contribution rate 2035 being 19.4 per cent. and of the equivalent rate of single pension ;
(3) what estimates he has made, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", assuming a unified pension age of 63 years, of the rate of increase in pension above price inflation which would be consistent with the combined national insurance contribution rate in 2035 being 19.4 per cent., and of the equivalent rate of single pension ;
(4) what estimates he has made, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", assuming that current state pension ages are maintained, of the rate of increase in pension above price inflation which would be consistent with the combined national insurance contribution rate in 2035 being 19.4 per cent., and of the equivalent rate of single pension.
Miss Widdecombe : The information is in the table.
Pension Age |Rate of Basic |Required rate of
|Pension in 2035 |annual increase in
|consistent with a |pension above price
|combined Class 1 NI|inflation
|contribution rate
|of 19.4 per cent.
|(1993-94 benefit
|rates)
|£ |Percentage
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current pension ages |61.10 |0.2
Unified age of 60 |52.90 |-0.1
Unified age of 63 |61.10 |0.2
Unified age of 65 |68.15 |0.5
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish estimates, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", on the effect on national insurance contribution rates in 2015, 2025, 2035 and 2045 of equalising state pension age at (a) 60 years, (b) 63 years and (c) 65 years, giving figures separately for (i) earnings-uprating of pensions and national insurance thresholds and (ii) price-uprating.
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Miss Widdecombe : Available information is given in the tables. Figures for 2015 and 2045 are not available.
(i) Earnings-uprating
Effect measured in percentage points
|2025 |2035
--------------------------------------------
Age 60 |+ 3.0 |+ 2.5
Age 63 |negligible|negligible
Age 65 |- 2.0 |- 1.5
(ii) Price-uprating
Effect measured in percentage points
|2025 |2035
--------------------------------------------
Age 60 |+ 2.0 |+ 1.5
Age 63 |- 0.25 |negligible
Age 65 |- 1.5 |- 1.0
Invalidity Benefit
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what ways the procedures have been changed for people who were receiving invalidity benefit and are found to be no longer eligible.
Mr. Scott : No changes have been made to the entitlement conditions or to the procedures which follow an adjudication officer's decision that someone is no longer entitled to invalidity benefit.
Voluntary Work
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the effect of voluntary work undertaken in excess of 24 hours a week by an unemployed person who can demonstrate that he or she is looking for work on the person's benefit entitlement.
Mr. Burt : There is no legislation limiting the amount of voluntary work an unemployed person may undertake. An unemployed person who is engaged in unpaid voluntary work may continue to receive benefits provided he continues to satisfy the conditions of entitlement. These are that a person must be available for work, and must actively seek work each week.
Current legislation allows volunteers 24 hours' notice in which to make the necessary arrangements to give up or rearrange voluntary responsibilities before taking up an offer of employment. In recognition of the value the Government place on voluntary work the Secretary of State announced on 28 April a proposal to extend this period of notice to 48 hours.
Fuel Bills
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further proposals he has to lessen the effect on people on low incomes of the imposition of value added tax on gas and electricity bills.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures he is taking to ensure that those who are chronically ill receive additional payments to cover the cost of value added tax on fuel.
Mr. Burt : In his Budget statement the Chancellor said that there would be extra help for poorer pensioners and those on low incomes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be announcing the details of this extra help in the autumn.
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Claimants Abroad
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has as to the payment of social security benefits to individuals who died in the Waco fire ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : The administration of benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Harry Greenway, dated 28 April 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State asking what information he has as to the payment of social security benefits to individuals who died in the Waco fire.
A check of the Departmental Central Index has shown that five people had current or recent claims to benefit whilst in the Waco Compound of the Davidian Cult. Of those five people four are feared to have died in the fire and the benefits involved were Income Support, Child Benefit and Retirement Pension.
The above information has emerged from our preliminary enquiries. I can assure you, however, that the individual circumstances of each case will be fully investigated to establish the correct entitlement in each case and we are reviewing procedures to prevent payment to those living abroad who do not qualify for benefit. I would also like to say that the payments of benefit to persons overseas are not made by girocheque or order book and that legitimate payments to such persons would be made by the Agency's Overseas Branch Directorate by payable order through a bank account or by automated credit transfer.
I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how long those in the Waco compound who were receiving social security benefits had been out of the United Kingdom ;
(2) how many people in the Waco compound were in receipt of benefits from his Department ; and what benefits they were receiving.
Mr. Burt : The administration of benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 28 April 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking (i) how many people in the Waco compound were in receipt of benefits from his Department ; and what benefits they were receiving and (ii) how long those in the Waco compound who were receiving Social Security benefits had been out of the United Kingdom.
A check of the Departmental Central Index has shown that five people had current or recent claims to benefit whilst in the Waco Compound of the Davidian Cult. The benefits involved were Income Support, Child Benefit, Invalidity Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Benefit and Retirement Pension.
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I am unable, until my investigations are complete, to say how long each individual had been outside the United Kingdom as none of the absences from this country had been reported to the Department's Overseas Benefits Directorate (OBD), who are responsible for considering benefit entitlement for most people who leave the United Kingdom. I can, however, say that of the five people mentioned, one ceased to receive benefit in February 1993 and another ceased to receive benefit in March 1993. I can also say that the payments of benefit to persons overseas are not made by girocheque or order book and that legitimate payments to such persons would be made by OBD by payable order through a bank account, or by automated credit transfer.The above information has emerged from our preliminary enquiries. I can assure you, however, that the individual circumstances of each case will be fully investigated to establish the correct entitlement in each case and we are reviewing procedures to prevent payment to those living abroad who do not qualify for benefit.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Visually Impaired Claimants
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he has taken, or will be taking, to improve access to the benefits system for people who are visually impaired by providing more official information in large print, Braille, or on tape ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The provision of benefit information is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Alfred Morris, dated 28 April 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security regarding the provision of benefit information in large print, Braille, or on tape.
The Benefits Agency has a contract with RNIB to provide information for visually impaired people in Braille. Last year 28 different leaflets were translated, and 450 eye hospitals were mailed with the Braille version of FB19 Social Security benefits--A guide for blind and partially sighted people. This year we are working to extend the distribution of material further and translate yet more leaflets. The Agency also produces the publication FB19 in both large print and as an audio tape. In the year 1992 -93, 80,000 booklets and 40,000 tapes of this publication were mailed to visually impaired people. A similar level of activity is planned for this current year. A number of services are available from the Benefit Enquiry Line for visually impaired customers. These include a forms completion service in Braille and large print.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will be placed in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.
Sickness and Invalidity Benefit
Ms Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals are currently claiming invalidity benefit in (a) the county of Cleveland and (b) in the boroughs of Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Langbaurgh.
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Mr. Scott : The administration of invalidity benefit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Ms Marjorie Mowlam, dated 28 April 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many individuals are currently claiming Invalidity Benefit in (a) the County of Cleveland and (b) in the Boroughs of Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Langbaurgh.
The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportinate cost. However, the latest statistics available from the Agency's North Tees District and South Tees District Offices, which include the areas concerned in the question, show a total of 27,777 customers in receipt of Invalidity Benefit. As Agency District boundaries do not correspond with county or borough boundaries this figure includes some customers living in areas other than those listed in the question.
Listed below are the figures available for each Office within the North Tees District and South Tees District.
Number of recipients currently in receipt of Invalidity
Benefit
|Number
------------------------------------------------------------
North Tees District
Stockton-on-Tees District Office |7,545
Hartlepool Branch Office |5,368
South Tees District
Middlesbrough District Office (including Tees
South Branch Office) |7,108
Easton Branch Office |3,355
Redcar Branch Office |4,401
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Correspondence
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 15 March to the Minister of State regarding retirement age for receiving invalidity benefit.
Mr. Scott : My noble Friend Lord Henley wrote to the hon. Member on 26 April. He apologised for the delay.
Benefits
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the data used in the construction of figure 7 in the 1993 Social Security departmental report on percentages of different types of benefits paid in the broad groups of beneficiaries in 1992-93 ; and what were the equivalent figures for each year since 1976.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is in the table.
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Different types of benefit paid to broad groups of beneficiaries in cash terms
£ million
|1976-77|1977-78|1978-79|1979-80|1980-81|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elderly:
Contributory |5,662 |6,697 |7,639 |8,903 |10,615 |12,216 |13,640 |14,705 |15,361 |16,678 |17,876 |18,842 |19,337 |20,795 |22,798 |25,688 |26,955
Non-contributory 36 36 42 41 43 45 46 47 45 48 45 46 45 44 45 47 48
Income-related |716 |809 |1,063 |1,186 |1,481 |2,070 |2,436 |2,909 |3,381 |3,709 |3,969 |4,165 |4,275 |4,842 |5,741 |5,688 |7,481
Short-term sick:
Contributory |559 |652 |696 |655 |654 |680 |554 |765 |787 |821 |936 |1,033 |1,090 |1,153 |1,157 |973 |1,025
Non-contributory 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Income-related |16 |17 |29 |25 |28 |29 |28 |29 |28 |28 |28 |35 |45 |74 |66 |107 |134
Long-term sick:
Contributory |732 |909 |1,070 |1,253 |1,446 |1,701 |1,952 |2,257 |2,540 |2,772 |3,128 |3,435 |3,826 |4,325 |4,444 |5,362 |6,116
Non-contributory 353 424 523 628 791 970 1,149 1,353 1,554 1,788 2,090 2,386 2,590 2,912 3,938 4,902 5,944
Income-related |166 |177 |176 |218 |262 |289 |408 |523 |619 |726 |948 |845 |1,050 |1,320 |1,842 |2,291 |2,799
Family:
Contributory |58 |76 |105 |125 |149 |158 |152 |141 |161 |164 |168 |244 |277 |316 |348 |376 |398
Non-contributory 559 889 1,814 2,846 3,021 3,464 3,767 4,112 4,414 4,619 4,675 4,761 4,694 4,736 4,820 5,438 6,044
Income-related |470 |569 |654 |669 |809 |1,097 |1,479 |1,751 |1,936 |2,265 |2,617 |3,129 |3,712 |4,130 |4,741 |5,538 |6,483
Unemployed:
Contributory |559 |629 |632 |653 |1,280 |1,702 |1,500 |1,497 |1,578 |1,589 |1,734 |1,468 |1,107 |733 |870 |1,604 |1,838
Non-contributory 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Income-related |545 |761 |742 |817 |1,250 |2,320 |3,511 |4,204 |4,741 |5,374 |5,574 |5,179 |4,128 |3,576 |4,203 |5,943 |7,452
Widows and others:
Contributory |481 |512 |555 |617 |698 |757 |795 |844 |859 |877 |906 |899 |910 |912 |891 |1,013 |1,032
Non-contributory 88 96 105 116 131 148 156 162 169 180 183 186 189 199 281 291 291
Income-related |18 |15 |26 |27 |21 |45 |45 |34 |59 |59 |39 |46 |55 |34 |51 |76 |94
Note: Expenditure in this table includes grants to local authorities, rent rebate subsidy payments and local authority expenditure not met by specific
Government grants.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Commonwealth Development Corporation
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which year the additional resources for the Commonwealth Development Corporation announced in November 1992 will be made available ; whether the money will be drawn on the existing Overseas Development Administration's budget ; and whether it will be classified as official development assistance.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : In November 1992 we announced that certain changes in the financing arrangements for CDC would result in up to £50 million of additional resources being made available to the overseas aid effort as a whole. Part of this arises from the decision to waive interest due on outstanding aid loans from 1 April 1994, which would otherwise accrue to the Consolidated Fund. This will increase the amount of self- generated funds retained within CDC. We also agreed that CDC should seek to borrow from funds available for some Caribbean basin initiative countries, known as "936" funds, provided the borrowing terms meet the Government's normal criteria. Decisions about the level of new loans from the aid budget for the CDC are made annually. CDC loans to borrowers overseas are not sufficiently concessional to qualify as offical development assistance. Equity investments in developing countries under existing definitions do count as official development assistance.
Aid
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of British aid was spent on primary health care, nutrition, basic education, family planning, safe water and sanitation in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ; and how much in cash terms would
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need to have been spent in those years in order to increase the amount spent on those basic needs to 20 per cent. of official development assistance.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The information for 1990 and 1991 is in the table. Figures for 1992 are not yet available. More detailed information on spending within individual sectors is not readily available. Individual projects may be targeted at more than one sector and area. Equally, projects not covered in the sectors listed may have an impact on basic needs.
Sector |1990 |1991
|£000 £000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Education |103,098 |114,141
Health and Population (including Nutrition
and family planning) |39,066 |45,319
Water and Sanitation |22,099 |24,966
|------- |-------
Total |164,263 |184,426
As percentage of bilateral aid allocable by
sector<1> |29 |30
<1> Bilateral aid which is not allocable by sector includes programme aid,
debt relief, humanitarian assistance, and loans to the Commonwealth
Development Corporation.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of its official development assistance the United Kingdom spent in Sub-Saharan Africa in 1990 ; and what was the increase each year in percentage terms, giving the figures for (a) bilateral aid, (b) multilateral aid and (c) in total.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The information requested for 1990 and 1991 is set out in the tables. Figures for 1992 are not yet available.
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|(i) Total Net oda |(ii) Alloc-able |(ii) as a per cent. |(iii) Multi-lateral |(iii) as a per cent.|(ii) plus (iii) as a
|Bilat-eral oda to |of (i) |Aid to <1>Africa |of (i) |per cent. of (i)
|Sub-Sahara Africa
|£ million |£ million |Per cent. |£ million |Per cent. |Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990 |1,503 |301 |20.0 |366 |24.4 |44.4
1991 |1,814 |428 |23.6 |n/a |- |-
n/a=Not yet available.
<1>The figures given are estimated by ODA Statistics Department using data provided by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD on the spending patterns of
multilateral agencies, and United Kingdom contributions to multilateral organisations. They refer to all Africa; it is not possible to dis-aggregate Sub-Saharan
Africa.
Allocable net bilateral oda to Sub-Saharan Africa increased by over 42 per cent. between 1990 and 1991. As a percentage of total net oda the figure for allocable
bilateral oda to Sub-Saharan Africa for 1991 represented an incrase of some 18 per cent. over that for 1990.
Somalia
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what British assistance is being given to the formation of police forces in Somalia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have informed the UN, EC and other bilateral donors that we are ready to help in the re-establishment of an indigenous police force in Somalia. The UN is currently developing a plan. As soon as it is available we shall consider what form our assistance might take. Meanwhile, we have appointed a consultant to undertake an assessment of emergency rehabilitation needs in the north-west, including the requirements for the development of police forces in the region.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts have been made to involve women's groups in the reconstruction of Somalia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Chalker of Wallasey met representatives of women's groups when she visited Somalia last September and again in February. She encouraged them to play a full role in Somalia's rehabilitation and reconstruction. Since, then, women's groups have played an active role in the political reconciliation process. The Addis reconciliation conference of 12 to 27 March 1993 agreed that women should be represented on the proposed interim national council. The UN's relief and rehabilitation plan for 1993 gives priority to activities designed to involve and assist women.
Sudan
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific assistance has been given by (a) the Government and (b) the EC to Sudan since January 1992.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Since January 1992, we have committed over £13 million in bilateral humanitarian assistance to Sudan. In the same period, we have provided
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almost £0.8 million in residual payments following the termination of the bilateral development aid programme in January 1991. In addition, since April 1991, almost £0.7 million has been disbursed through the joint funding scheme to support the work of British NGOs in Sudan.Since January 1992, the EC has committed over £61 million--United Kingdom share about £10 million--in food and other emergency assistance to Sudan. Figures are not available for EC disbursement on development projects, but no new development projects have been approved since 1990.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the adequacy of medical supplies to Sudan ; and what obstacles there are to the adequacy of supplies to that country.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Our bilateral development assistance programme to Sudan was terminated in 1991. We are not therefore now involved in considering the regular provision of medical supplies to the Government of Sudan and we have made no assessment of the national availability of such supplies.
Since January 1992, we have committed about £563,000 in humanitarian assistance funds and, in 1992-93, almost £52,000 from the joint funding scheme, in support of health care activities run by British NGOs in Sudan.
Least-developed Countries
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have signed the Paris declaration and the United Nations programme of action for the least- developed countries ; and what is the Government's policy towards recommendations on the amounts donors should spend on aid to the least- developed countries.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Government joined the international consensus in adopting the Paris declaration and the United Nations programme of action for the least developed countries. There are a number of different aid targets set out in the programme of action. We reaffirmed our commitment to the target of 0.15 per cent. of GNP for aid to the least developed, but we did not subscribe to any timetable for reaching it.
Forestry Aid
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will undertake a review of the United Kingdom's assistance to forestry aid projects in developing cs, the lessons from which are being applied to our current programmes.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Potato Marketing Board
4. Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from potato growers in Lancashire about the effects of the abolition of the Potato Marketing Board.
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Mr. Curry : We have received representations through three hon. Members expressing support for the continuation of the PMB and one directly from a potato grower who favours abolition.
Agricultural Wages Board
6. Mr. McFall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the Agricultural Wages Board.
Mr. Gummer : The board is due to be reviewed this year as part of the periodic review of all non-departmental public bodies.
Surplus Food
16. Mr. Williams O'Brien : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes he has considered to the distribution of surplus EC food ; and if he will make a statement.
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