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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Aid
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the Government's policy to give aid to avoid environmental destruction; and what help has been made in this field in the latest year for which figures are available
Mr. Baldry: All activities supported under the aid programme are assessed for environmental impact according to the procedures contained in the ODA's manual of environmental appraisal, copies of which are in the Libraries of the House. In 1993 94, the ODA spent £147 million on bilateral projects either wholly or partly concerned with environmental protection.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom ranks among EC member states in the proportion of gross domestic product being allocated for aid.
Mr. Baldry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 25 November 1994, Official Report column 426.
Tibet
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the European Union over the grant to the Chinese Govenment-run Pa Nam rural development project in Tibet, approved by the Asian and Latin Committee of the EU on 19 October 1994.
Mr. Baldry: We are in touch at senior level with the European Commission about our concerns that EC assistance should be used to help only indigenous Tibetans and that the Pa Nam project is not detrimental to the fragile environment in the region. We have made clear that these issues should be addressed, if necessary by amending the financing agreement.
Cambodia
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the projects funded by bilateral aid to Cambodia, including the amount of aid given to each project.
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Mr. Baldry: Current projects in Cambodia funded under the United Kingdom country programme, and under the joint funding scheme, are listed:
Country Projects Project |Allocation (£000s) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Battambang Urban Water Project |1,400 Kratie Water Project |343 English by TV and Radio |46 English Language Training |1,930 Strengthening Health Systems Phase II |741 Anti Malaria Project |1,143 Birth Spacing Project |250 Essential Drugs Project |1,000 Programme Aid |2,500 British Partnership Scheme |100 Support for Cambodia Mine Action Centre |1,136 Social Marketing of Contraceptives |150
NGO Projects
|Allocation
Agency |Project name |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADD |Development Programme |302,894
Cambodia Trust |Prosthetics Clinic and
| Workshop-Kompong Som | 249,741
Christian Outreach |Agricultural, Business and
| Community Development | 336,671
Christian Outreach |Preventative Health Care |288,238
Concern |Chuk Saw Forestry
| programme |133,938
Concern |Primary Education
| Programme |326,166
Concern |Primary Health Care
| Programme |65,359
Food for the Hungry |Rural Water Supply |91,830
Health Unlimited |Integrated Health Care |236,404
Health Unlimited |Primary Health Care |383,288
Helpage |Opthalmic Services |177,393
Helpage |Resettlement and
| Rehabilitation Programme |118,200
Oxfam |Community Development
| Support Programme | 15,980
Oxfam |Rural Development
| Programme |2,894
Oxfam |Re-establishment of Local
| Support Structures | 5,389
Southeast Asian
Outreach |Scale Project |229,960
World Vision |Kompong Tralach Rural Health |95,895
World Vision |Rattanak Mondol: Rural Health
| Project |168,129
Indonesia
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what was the cost of the original aid for trade element in the Cikampek-Padalarang toll road, Indonesia, (a) in cash terms and (b) as proportion of the total estimated costs; what payments were ultimately made; and what proportion of the total outturn cost they represented;
(2) when the release of aid for trade funds for the
Cikampek-Padalarang toll road, Indonesia, was agreed; and when the project was (a) commenced and (b) completed.
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Mr. Baldry: In 1988, the Government agreed to provide £16.85 million--30.1 per cent. of the officially supported package--towards the cost of constructing the Cikampek-Padalarang toll road, Indonesia. Of this, £4.7 million has been spent on surveys, detailed design and geological investigations. The remainder will be provided as a mixed credit towards the cost of construction.Project negotiations are continuing and are not expected to be completed until April next year. The total costs will not be known until the project has been completed. Nevertheless, the total of official support for the project will not exceed £16.85 million.
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report , columns 373 74 , if he will indicate whether the aid and trade project in Indonesia was approved alongside any other ATP projects; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: The Bandung TV studio project was approved in January 1986 alongside a project to supply new radio equipment for the central radio studios in Jakarta to replace equipment lost in a fire which severely disrupted national radio programmes. The ODA considered that there was a sound developmental case for the provision of aid in support of the radio studio equipment project. The two projects have been pursued separately since October 1986.
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report, columns 373 74, if he will give the date that an appraisal was carried out on the Indonesian television studio project; and if he will publish the results of the appraisal in full.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: Consideration and approval of the project was based upon a number of reports from ODA and DTI staff and consultants following visits to Indonesia during 1985 and early 1986. In line with established policy, the ODA does not publish its projects appraisals.
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report columns 373 74 , if he will outline the main aims and objectives of the aid and trade provision project in Indonesia and indicate what factors led the ODA to consider that it might fall outside the scope of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980 in the light of the High Court judgment on Pergau.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: The main aims and objectives of the project were to supply equipment to the Indonesian television authority for a new television studio complex constructed at Bandung to assist the service in producing programmes. The factors which led ODA to consider that, in the light of the court's judgment, the project fell outside the scope of the Act were concerns about the developmental soundness of the project and the weight attached to commercial and political considerations in the decision to allocate aid.
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Ankara Metro Project
Miss Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the decision was taken to give support to the Ankara metro project under the aid and trade provision scheme.
Mr. Baldry: On 10 September 1990.
Crown Agents
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what other companies or organisations were considered when KPMG Corporate Finance was appointed to advise on the Crown Agents privatisation; what were the procedures for comparison; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry: The competition for this contract was conducted in compliance with the European Commission directive on contracting for services under negotiated procedures. Subsequent to the notice in the supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities on 16 September, proposals were received from Coopers and Lybrand International, Ernst and Young, Samuel Montagu Company Limited and Touche Ross Corporate Finance as well as KPMG Corporate Finance.
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the cost of the contract awarded to KPMG Corporate Finance to advise on the transfer of the Crown Agents to the private sector.
Mr. Baldry: For services currently under contract, £90,000.
Consultants
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the outside consultants appointed by him to advise on overseas development matters in each year since 1984, the total cost in each case, the consultant contracts which are currently under way and the total cost of all current contracts.
Mr. Baldry: Information on contracts awarded prior to 1992 93 is not centrally recorded and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. For the years 1992 93 and 1993 94, I refer to my written answer to the hon. Member for York (Mr. Bayley) on 2 November 1994, Official Report , column 1182 .
Good Government
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what considerations were given to the criterion of good government in decisions regarding the allocation of £34.8 million to Indonesia and £33.7 million of aid to China in 1993 94; what proportion each represents of United Kingdom bilateral aid; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry: Decisions on aid allocations to individual countries take account of a number of criteria. These include poverty, good government issues, including respect for human rights, and the commitment of the country to appropriate economic policies, and other important development objectives such as protection of
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the environment. The effectiveness with which United Kingdom aid is used is also an important criterion. Aid for Indonesia and China represented 2.7 per cent. and 2.6 per cent. respectively of total bilateral aid in 1993 94.Pergau Dam
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report, columns 773 74, on the Pergau dam, if he will set out in detail the grounds on which each of the aid and trade provision projects in (a) Turkey, (b) Botswana and (c) Indonesia raised legal difficulties following the High Court judgment.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: I refer the hon. member to the replies I gave the hon. member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) today.
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report, columns 773 74, on the Pergau dam, if he will set out the criteria used by the ODA to determine which aid and trade provision projects did not comply with the High Court judgment on Pergau.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: The ODA, in co- operation with the National Audit Office, examined all current aid and trade provision soft loan and mixed credit projects to determine whether an appropriate test of developmental soundness was taken into account in each case, whether the projects on which payments are currently being made meet the relevant developmental test and whether the decision-making process gave sufficient prominence to developmental factors, while taking account of other factors such as political and commercial interests
Aid and Trade Provision
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report, columns 773 74, on the Pergau dam, what legal advice was sought by the ODA in regard to the provision of aid and trade provision funds for the projects in (a) Turkey, (b) Botswana and (c) Indonesia.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: No legal advice was sought on the provision of aid for these projects. However, in each case legal advice was sought on the detailed terms of each of the commercial contracts and the bilateral agreements with the Governments concerned covering the provision of aid.
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report, columns 773 74, on the Pergau dam, what were the key political and commercial consideration as taken into account prior to the approval of the ATP funds for (a) Indonesia, (b) Botswana and (c) Turkey.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: The key commercial considerations in each case were the potential loss of both the immediate and follow-on business in the sectors concerned in these countries and the surrounding regions. In the case of Botswana, the key political consideration was our wish to help Botswana as one of the front line states to reduce its dependence on South Africa. In the case of Turkey, political
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considerations took account of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait the previous month and Turkey's positive stance following the invasion. In the case of Indonesia, the key political considerations were Indonesia's position in the Association of South-East Asian Nations region and the need to demonstrate Britain's commitment to the country and its development through a project which was earmarked for a United Kingdom supplier.Botswana
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report, columns 373 74, if he will outline the main aims and objectives of the aid and trade provision project in Botswana and indicate what factors led the ODA to consider, following the High Court judgment, that it might fall outside the scope of the Overseas Development and Co- operation Act 1980.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: The main aim and objective of the project was to provide Botswana with its own flight information system to ensure awareness of flights from neighbouring countries. The project was therefore consistent with our overall policy of assisting front line states to reduce their dependence on South Africa and was judged to be a cost-effective means of meeting the objective. The factors which led ODA to consider that, in the light of the court's judgment, the project fell outside the scope of the Act were concerns about the developmental soundness of the project and the weight attached to commercial and political considerations in the decision to allocate aid.
Turkey
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 December, Official Report, columns 373 74, if he will outline the main aims and objectives of the aid and trade provision project in Turkey and indicate what factors led the ODA to consider, following the High Court judgment, that it might fall outside the scope of the Overseas Development and Co- operation Act 1980.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 December 1994]: The main aims and objectives of the project are to build the first stage of the metro system in the city of Ankara to reduce chronic road congestion and pollution. The factors which led ODA to consider that, in the light of the court's judgment, the project fell outside the scope of the Act were concerns about the developmental soundness of the project and the weight attached to commercial and political considerations in the decision to allocate aid.
PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 10 January.
The Prime Minister: This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
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Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 10 January.
The Prime Minister: This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Intelligence and Security Committee
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what is the annual expenditure earmarked for the Intelligence and Security Committee; (2) if he expects to give oral evidence to the Intelligence and Security Committee;
(3) if senior staff below the level of director general in the security services are to be allowed to give evidence to the Intelligence and Security Committee if the committee requests this; (4) at what time of the year he expects to receive the first report from the Intelligence and Security Committee;
(5) if officers of the House are involved in staffing the Intelligence and Security Committee.
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 21 November 1994, Official Report , column 25 .
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Prime Minister what considerations underlay the decision to hold meetings of the Intelligence and Security Committee in the Cabinet Office; what consideration was given to holding them in the House; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister: The House has always recognised that intelligence issues cannot be dealt with in the same way as normal departmental affairs. Special arrangements have been made therefore for the committee to meet in suitable secure accommodation in the Cabinet Office, reflecting the necessary secrecy of the committee's proceedings.
European Parliament
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy not to agree to any proposal which would extend or increase the powers of the European Parliament.
The Prime Minister: The treaty on European Union accorded the European Parliament new powers. We do not believe that the case has been made for an extension of these powers. The primary democratic focus in the European Union rests with national Parliaments, not the European Parliament.
Hunting Engineering
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will provide a breakdown of all ongoing Government contracts with Hunting Engineering and those completed in the last two years, summarising the amounts relating to each purpose within the contracts and the total of them overall.
The Prime Minister: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Voter Satisfaction Surveys
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Prime Minister what surveys Her Majesty's Government carried out in 1994 to assess voter satisfaction with Her Majesty's Government's policy; and if he will make a statement.
Employment Statistics
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will propose action to increase the numbers of people aged 16 to 20 years employed in each Department and associated agencies;
(2) if he will give an estimate of the numbers of people available for work aged (a) 16, (b) 17, (c) 18, (d) 19 and (e) 20 years; and if he will compare their ratio to all employees with the ratio of young people employed across the public services and agencies.
The Prime Minister: Government Departments and agencies recruit staff on merit through fair and open competition. The details of recruitment procedures are determined by each Department or agency in the light of its own needs and circumstances.
The Employment Department aims to integrate young people into the labour market by providing a wide range of employment and training measures and services for them. Government Departments and agencies participate fully in programmes such as youth training.
The employment of young people in different occupations or sectors of activity is affected by recent recruitment levels and by the qualities and experience appropriate to the work.
In particular, young people tend to group towards particular occupations, some of which may not be associated with the public sector.
The available estimates from the labour force survey for Great Britain in summer--June to August--1994 show that there were 1,597,000 16 to 20-year- old employees in total, representing 7 per cent. of all employees. Of these 119,000 were in the public sector, representing 2 per cent. of all public sector employees. A further 507,000 16 to 20-year-olds were classified as International Labour Organisation unemployed of which 157,000 were in full- time education but actively seeking a part-time or vacation job.
Political Resolutions
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Prime Minister what are his political resolutions for 1995.
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Queen's Speech, Official Report, 16 November 1994 columns 4 6.
European Councils
Dr. Marek: To ask the Prime Minister what changes he proposes to make in reporting to Parliament proceedings and debates within European Council meetings and committees; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister: Ministers give Parliament an account of each meeting of the Council of Ministers. Press releases, which include details of voting, are deposited in the Library of the House. I see no reason to change these arrangements.
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Lockerbie
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library his correspondence with Mr. Martin Cadman, of the Lockerbie victims' relatives association, and in particular his response to Mr. Cadman's letter of 18 December 1994, concerning Lord Parkinson's meetings on 19 September 1989 and 5 December 1989 with the relatives, and his answer of 15 December, Official Report, column 1068.
The Prime Minister: No, it is not my normal practice to do so.
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his response to Lockerbie victim relative Rev. John Mosey's letter to him of 28 December 1994.
The Prime Minister: No, it is not my normal practice to do so.
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if, following communications from Mr. Martin Cadman, Pamela Dix, Rev. John Mosey and Dr. Jim Swire, relatives of Lockerbie victims, he has anything to add to his oral answer to the hon. Member of Linlithgow of 15 December, Official Report, column 1068.
The Prime Minister: I understand that the meeting between Lord Parkinson and a group of British relatives of the Lockerbie victims to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Gentleman on 15 December took place in December 1989, not in 1990. At that meeting, Lord Parkinson explained the Government's decision not to hold a confidential inquiry into the disaster, but said that the Lord Advocate was likely to hold a public fatal accident inquiry. I have received representations from several relatives of Lockerbie victims calling for a further inquiry. However, in view of all the investigations that have already been carried out, and the need to avoid the danger of prejudicing a criminal trial of the two accused, I do not believe such an inquiry is warranted.
Ghazanfer Ali
Mr. Madden: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the latest position in the case of Mr. Ghazanfer Ali, detained in Mirpur prison in Azad Kashmir.
The Prime Minister: We continue to raise our concerns over the delays in the hearings of the charges facing Ghazanfer Ali. There has been no progress since my previous answer. The hearings continue to be adjourned.
Scottish Devolution
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to conduct an analysis of the effects on the rest of the United Kingdom of devolution for Scotland as proposed in the Scotland Act 1978; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister: The proposals for a Scottish assembly contained within the Scotland Act 1978 were the subject of a referendum in 1979 and failed to gain the support of the electorate. The proposals of the Scotland Act 1978 no longer enjoy the support of any political party, but the inconsistencies inherent in those proposals, which were clearly highlighted over 15 years ago, remain today unanswered by the proponents of devolution.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Mortgage Protection Policies
Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has as to the extent to which the eligibility criteria for mortgage protection policies tend to exclude the self-employed.
Mr. Jonathan Evans: It is possible for the self-employed to safeguard themselves against sickness or disability through mortgage protection policies. The circumstances under which income replacement is payable varies between different insurers--insurers would normally require evidence that trading has permanently ceased. Insurers are considering how they can best meet the needs of the self-employed and others, consistent with sound underwriting practice, following the announcement of the proposed changes in income support for mortgage interest.
Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will enter into negotiations with the insurance market concerning private mortgage protection policies.
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Officials have already held discussions with the Association of British Insurers about mortgage protection policies. Department of Social Security Ministers will also be meeting the ABI as part of the consultation process on the proposed changes in income support for mortgage interest payments.
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Indonesia
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 8 December 1994, Official Report , column 299 , if he will name the United Kingdom company that is licensed to explore for oil and gas in the East Timor gap.
Mr. Charles Wardle: The company is Enterprise Oil plc operating through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Enterprise Oil Timor Gap (9) Ltd. and Enterprise Oil Timor Gap (14) Ltd. of Perth Australia.
Radioactive Materials
Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 7 December, Official Report , column 253 , which radioactive materials are licensed for disposal down the Dorset outfalls; in what quantities material has been passed down the Dorset by outfalls; and what monitoring is carried out and by whom of the results of such disposal adjacent to the site of the outfalls.
Mr. Charles Wardle: This is a matter for the board of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
Export Credits
Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list export credits project business for (a) Iran, (b) Iraq, (c) Jordan, (d) Saudi Arabia, (e) the United Arab Emirates and (f) Egypt since 1980 81.
Mr. Needham: The value of liabilities assumed in each of the named markets over the period was as follows:
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£ million Financial year |Iran |Iraq |Jordan |Saudi Arabia |UAE |Egypt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1980-81 |0 |0 |188 |0 |0 |25 1981-82 |0 |129 |42 |19 |0 |58 1982-83 |0 |352 |1 |58 |96 |77 1983-84 |0 |22 |26 |12 |0 |42 1984-85 |0 |163 |18 |27 |0 |157 1985-86 |0 |293 |0 |52 |1 |35 1986-87 |20 |145 |240 |0 |0 |202 1987-88 |0 |239 |103 |15 |33 |118 1988-89 |0 |245 |152 |450 |0 |5 1989-90 |0 |374 |41 |0 |188 |111 1990-91 |2 |90 |0 |0 |0 |21 1991-92 |0 |0 |0 |17 |0 |58 1992-93 |0 |0 |14 |225 |356 |12 1993-94 |7 |0 |0 |751 |0 |0
Telephone Dialling Codes
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment has been made as to the additional costs which will be incurred by his Department as a result of the changes in national telephone dialling codes next year; and how much this change will costs his Department in additional expenditure.
Mr. Ian Taylor: There will be very little additional cost to the Department arising from the national dialling code changes. Service providers such as BT and Mercury have not charged for the necessary work within telephone exchanges and the costs of consequential internal changes to stationery, fax machines and soon will be contained within existing expenditure limits. Forward planning has
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