| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estiamte what it will cost each working person per day to finance social security expenditure by 2000 01. [27219]
Mr. Hague: Total social security benefit expenditure in 2000 01 is estimated at £98.1 billion in 1994 95 prices, including administrative costs at 1994 95 levels. This is approximately equivalent to £16 per working day on the basis of the current working population.
Back to Work Bonus
Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to include a back to work bonus in his reforms of the unemployment benefits. [27571]
Mr. Roger Evans: We intend to introduce a back to work bonus scheme in October 1996 in jobseeker's allowance and income support as part of our plans to improve work incentives for unemployed people. Claimants who undertake small amounts of work while on benefit will be able to build up a lump sum bonus of up to £1,000 which they can claim when they leave benefit to take up work.
National Insurance
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the additional annual revenue which would have been raised in 1995 96 if the upper earnings limit for employee national insurance contributions have been indexed to wages rather than prices. [28194]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions is statutorily linked to the rate of the basic retirement pension and has been set at £440 for 1995 96. If the increase in the upper earnings limit for 1995 96 over 1994 95 has been based on the general increase in earnings instead of prices in the year ending September 1994, the limit is likely to have been rounded to £445. The additional revenue which would have been raised by such an increase is estimated as £48 million in the first year. Source : Government Actuary's Department.
Note : The reply assumes that the lower earnings limit continue to be based on the increase in prices, thus broadening the contributions base.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the (a) likely cost and (b) maximum cost of exempting employers for a period of one year from paying national insurance contributions for employees directly employed after having been unemployed for one year or more. [28316]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The estimated cost could be as much as £200 million per annum. Allowing for less than full take-up of the exemption, the cost is likely to be in the region of £150 million.
Column 495
These estimates do not allow for any possible changes in behaviour.Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the employment effect of reducing employers' national insurance contributions by (a) 1 per cent., (b) 2 per cent. and (c) 3 per cent. [28314]
Mr. Arbuthnot: Any reduction in employers' national insurance contributions would cut employers' non-wage costs and could be expected to provide an increase in employment opportunities. However, it is not possible to assess the differential effect of a range of contribution reductions.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Southern Africa
Mr. Robert Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the value by category of channel of British humanitarian and emergency relief through both bilateral and multilateral channels to each of the member states of the Southern
Column 496
African Development Community for each year since 1979 in both cash and constant prices. [26950]Mr. Baldry: The information requested is available only for the years 1986 87 to 1993 94. Tables have been placed in the Library.
Mr. Robert Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total European Union aid (a) to the institution of the Southern African Development Community and its predecessor the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference and (b) to individual member states of the Southern African Development Community for each year since 1979 in both cash and constant prices; what are the projections for future years; and what has been the United Kingdom's contribution. [26949]
Mr. Baldry: EC net official development assistance to individual members of the Southern African Development Community from 1979 to 1993, the last year for which figures are available, is set out in tables A and B. South Africa joined the SADC in 1994. Information on EC aid to institutions of the SADC is not available.
Projections of future levels of aid are not available.
The primary source of EC aid to SADC states has been successive European development funds. The UK contribution to each EDF is set out in table C.
Column 495
Column 496
Table A: Net official development assistance from the EC to SADC countries in cash prices (£ million),
1979-93
|1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angola |0.3 |0.4 |1.6 |0.9 |1.6 |6.5 |5.6 |6.7 |5.1 |12.0 |12.0 |30.3 |32.2 |34.6 |30.4
Botswana |2.3 |2.5 |3.4 |1.0 |1.4 |5.1 |2.2 |4.9 |3.1 |4.9 |5.6 |4.7 |4.1 |2.7 |12.7
Lesotho |1.2 |2.0 |3.4 |3.8 |3.6 |5.6 |5.8 |4.2 |4.5 |7.8 |7.4 |8.0 |5.7 |11.3 |11.7
Malawi |6.0 |8.9 |6.9 |6.2 |3.8 |10.9 |8.4 |11.7 |16.7 |21.6 |26.4 |25.4 |24.6 |31.9 |30.0
Mozambique |2.5 |3.0 |5.2 |2.3 |9.8 |16.0 |19.6 |22.7 |15.7 |37.5 |54.7 |45.8 |58.4 |51.0 |55.2
Namibia |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |2.2 |39.3 |42.4 |15.6 |7.9
Swaziland |4.9 |3.3 |1.3 |1.1 |3.0 |4.6 |1.5 |1.6 |2.9 |2.8 |4.9 |4.8 |4.4 |4.7 |3.2
Tanzania |13.8 |10.8 |20.0 |17.1 |17.9 |23.9 |23.1 |25.5 |20.1 |19.5 |31.4 |23.6 |23.1 |63.5 |46.3
Zambia |4.9 |8.7 |13.6 |17.2 |5.5 |17.9 |22.4 |11.1 |12.1 |19.4 |20.7 |14.6 |17.7 |54.1 |95.7
Zimbabwe |- |4.2 |1.7 |5.8 |6.9 |19.4 |3.0 |2.7 |4.2 |8.9 |11.9 |6.9 |6.5 |12.8 |34.0
SADC |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Total |35.9 |43.8 |57.1 |55.5 |53.6 |109.9|91.6 |91.1 |84.3 |134.4|177.2|203.4|219.1|282.3|372.0
Source:
OECD DAC Publications.
Table B: Net official development assistance from the EC to SADC countries in constant 1993 prices (£
million), 1979-93
|1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angola |0.7 |0.8 |3.0 |1.6 |2.6 |10.3 |8.4 |9.7 |7.0 |15.6 |14.6 |34.1 |33.9 |34.9 |30.4
Botswana |5.7 |5.2 |6.4 |1.7 |2.3 |8.1 |3.3 |7.1 |4.3 |6.4 |6.8 |5.3 |4.3 |2.7 |12.7
Lesotho |3.0 |4.2 |6.4 |6.6 |6.0 |8.9 |8.7 |6.1 |6.2 |10.1 |9.0 |9.0 |6.0 |11.4 |11.7
Malawi |15.0 |18.6 |12.9 |10.8 |6.3 |17.2 |12.6 |16.9 |23.0 |28.1 |32.0 |28.6 |25.9 |32.2 |30.0
Mozambique |6.2 |6.3 |9.7 |4.0 |16.2 |25.3 |29.3 |32.9 |21.7 |48.8 |66.4 |51.6 |61.5 |51.5 |55.2
Namibia |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |2.7 |44.3 |44.7 |15.7 |7.9
Swaziland |12.2 |6.9 |2.4 |1.9 |5.0 |7.3 |2.2 |2.3 |4.0 |3.6 |5.9 |5.4 |4.6 |4.7 |3.2
Tanzania |34.4 |22.5 |37.4 |29.8 |29.6 |37.8 |34.5 |36.9 |27.7 |25.4 |38.1 |26.6 |24.3 |64.1 |46.3
Zambia |12.2 |18.2 |25.5 |29.9 |9.1 |28.3 |33.5 |16.1 |16.7 |25.2 |25.1 |16.4 |18.6 |54.6 |95.7
Zimbabwe |- |8.8 |3.2 |10.1 |11.4 |30.7 |4.5 |3.9 |5.8 |11.6 |14.4 |7.8 |6.8 |12.9 |34.0
SADC |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Total |89.4 |91.5 |106.9|96.4 |88.5 |173.9|137.0|131.9|116.4|174.8|215.0|229.1|230.6|284.7|327.1
Source:
OECD DAC Publications.
Table C: European development funds: United Kingdom shares
|Dates over which|UK share
|committed |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
IV |1975-80 |18.7
V |1981-85 |18.0
VI |1986-90 |16.58
VII |1991-95 |16.37
Mr. Robert Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the Government bilateral related aid (a) to the institution of the Southern African Development Community and its predecessor the Southern African Development
Column 498
Co-ordination Conference and (b) to the individual member states of the Southern African Development Co-ordination for each year form 1979 to 1994 in cash and constant prices; and what is the projection for future years. [26948]Mr. Baldry: Following is a table which indicates levels of bilateral aid given both to SADC as an institution and to the member states of SADC between 1979 and 1993 94. South Africa has also been included even though that country only became a member of SADC very recently.
Projections of future levels of aid are not available. However, the FCO departmental report for 1995, Cm 2802, page 61, contains a table which outlines the expected levels of bilateral aid expenditure on a regional basis.
Column 497
Total bilateral aid to SADC countries at current prices 1979-87
£000
|1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angola |43 |12 |93 |55 |71 |146 |164 |317 |261
Botswana |7,404 |11,546 |10,199 |7,570 |13,289 |15,975 |8,744 |12,301 |12,190
Lesotho |6,569 |4,607 |6,364 |4,251 |4,695 |5,233 |2,382 |3,784 |3,942
Malawi |23,314 |16,543 |15,999 |16,984 |14,620 |12,959 |22,173 |15,346 |24,865
Mozambique |6,369 |4,629 |5,379 |1,924 |1,805 |4,182 |8,366 |7,424 |23,836
Namibia |161 |168 |163 |220 |279 |313 |605 |733 |969
South Africa |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |691 |772 |1,577
Swaziland |8,351 |6,472 |4,144 |6,366 |5,665 |5,626 |3,469 |6,402 |3,514
Tanzania |23,559 |32,119 |30,040 |27,328 |30,384 |33,033 |17,967 |12,715 |28,789
Zambia |29,159 |20,696 |24,119 |14,237 |15,485 |32,901 |25,552 |35,378 |25,349
Zimbabwe |5,070 |36,405 |50,048 |21,464 |19,453 |15,062 |23,636 |12,503 |12,498
SADC<1> |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Total |109,999|133,197|146,548|100,399|105,746|125,430|113,749|107,675|137,790
<1> Figures for SADC are only available from 1988-89.
Total bilateral aid to SADC countries at current prices 1987-88 to 1993-94
£000
|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angola |471 |1,140 |731 |1,530 |2,484 |1,874 |13,586
Botswana |7,978 |7,606 |8,247 |7,487 |11,605 |7,457 |8,413
Lesotho |3,937 |5,348 |5,505 |5,856 |6,453 |27,194 |6,070
Malawi |36,514 |41,157 |48,197 |43,280 |26,153 |27,328 |26,256
Mozambique |20,747 |34,834 |20,839 |26,171 |18,337 |34,141 |34,704
Namibia |1,421 |1,633 |2,058 |1,711 |2,359 |4,493 |3,894
South Africa |3,159 |4,991 |6,010 |8,094 |9,324 |11,709 |14,291
Swaziland |3,123 |6,689 |4,266 |5,255 |3,499 |4,189 |8,196
Tanzania |33,617 |31,956 |20,146 |41,578 |32,454 |62,370 |31,491
Zambia |17,807 |15,285 |18,279 |49,790 |34,425 |47,974 |47,623
Zimbabwe |16,090 |23,375 |21,956 |33,608 |47,688 |44,267 |39,824
SADC<1> |n/a |3,420 |4,256 |7,525 |9,101 |6,001 |4,420
Total |144,864|177,434|160,490|231,885|203,882|278,997|238,768
<1>Figures for SADC are only available from 1998-89.
Total bilateral aid to SADC countries at constant<1> prices 1979-87
£000
|1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angola |107 |25 |174 |96 |117 |231 |245 |459 |360
Botswana |18,460 |24,088 |19,095 |13,172 |21,972 |25,253 |13,077 |17,814 |16,819
Lesotho |16,378 |9,611 |11,915 |7,397 |7,763 |8,272 |3,562 |5,480 |5,439
Malawi |58,128 |34,513 |29,955 |29,553 |24,173 |20,485 |33,161 |22,224 |34,307
Mozambique |15,880 |9,657 |10,071 |3,348 |2,984 |6,611 |12,512 |10,751 |32,887
Namibia |401 |350 |305 |383 |461 |495 |905 |1,062 |1,337
South Africa |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |1,033 |1,004 |2,176
Swaziland |20,821 |13,502 |7,759 |11,077 |9,367 |8,893 |5,188 |9,271 |4,848
Tanzania |58,739 |67,008 |56,243 |47,552 |50,237 |52,217 |26,871 |18,414 |39,721
Zambia |72,701 |43,177 |45,157 |24,773 |25,603 |52,008 |38,214 |51,234 |34,975
Zimbabwe |12,641 |75,950 |93,704 |37,348 |32,164 |23,809 |35,349 |18,107 |17,244
SADC<2> |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Total |274,256|277,881|274,378|174,699|174,841|198,274|170,117|155,820|190,113
Notes:
<1> Calendar years in 1993 prices. Financial years in 1993-94 prices.
<2> Figures for SADC are only available from 1988-89.
Source:
British Aid Statistics-published by financial year from 1992.
Total bilateral aid to SADC countries at constant<1> prices 1987-88 to
1993-94
£000
|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angola |661 |1,500 |899 |1,743 |2,662 |1,931 |13,586
Botswana |11,203 |10,011 |10,146 |8,528 |12,436 |7,685 |8,413
Lesotho |5,528 |7,039 |6,772 |6,670 |6,915 |28,026 |6,070
Malawi |51,274 |54,170 |59,294 |49,295 |28,027 |28,164 |26,256
Mozambique |29,134 |45,847 |25,637 |29,808 |19,651 |35,186 |34,704
Namibia |1,995 |2,149 |2,532 |1,949 |2,528 |4,630 |3,894
South Africa |4,436 |6,569 |7,394 |9,219 |9,992 |12,067 |14,291
Swaziland |4,385 |8,804 |5,248 |5,985 |3,750 |4,317 |8,196
Tanzania |47,206 |42,060 |24,784 |47,356 |34,779 |64,278 |31,491
Zambia |25,005 |20,118 |22,488 |56,710 |36,891 |49,442 |47,623
Zimbabwe |22,594 |30,765 |27,011 |38,279 |51,104 |45,622 |39,824
SADC<2> |n/a |4,501 |5,236 |8,571 |9,753 |6,185 |4,420
Total |203,421|233,560|197,801|264,113|218,488|287,533|238,768
Notes:
<1> Calendar years in 1993 prices. Financial years in 1993-94 prices.
<2> Figures for SADC are only available from 1988-89.
Source:
British Aid Statistics-published by financial year from 1992.
ACP States
Mr. Robert Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total European Union aid to the African, Caribbean and Pacific states for each year since 1979 in cash and constant prices; what projected aid is planned; and what has been the United Kingdom's contributions. [26953]
Mr. Baldry: EC net official development assistance to African, Caribbean and Pacific states from 1979 to 1993, the last year for which figures are available, is set out in table A.
Projections of future levels of aid are not available.
The primary source of EC aid to ACP states has been successive European development funds. The UK contribution to each EDF is set out in table B.
Table A: Net official development assistance
from the EC to ACP
states, 1979-93
£ million
|Current |Constant
|prices |1993 prices
------------------------------------------------
1979 |335.9 |837.6
1980 |311.1 |649.0
1981 |447.1 |837.2
1982 |398.2 |692.9
1983 |467.5 |773.0
1984 |588.8 |930.7
1985 |726.4 |1,086.3
1986 |733.8 |1,062.6
1987 |746.8 |1,030.3
1988 |1,001.6 |1,303.2
1989 |1,074.2 |1,303.8
1990 |1,001.9 |1,128.1
1991 |1,195.7 |1,259.2
1992 |1,536.2 |1,550.8
1993 |1,442.6 |1,442.6
Source:
OECD DAC Publications.
Table B: European development funds: UK shares
|Dates over which|UK share
|committed |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
IV |1975-80 |18.7
V |1981-85 |18.0
VI |1986-90 |16.58
VII |1991-95 |16.37
Mr. Robert Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the United Kingdom Government total bilateral aid to the African, Caribbean and Pacific states for each year since 1979 in both cash and constant prices; and what future projected aid is planned.
Mr. Baldry: Total United Kingdom Government bilateral aid for the period 1979 to 1993 94 is set out. Projections of future level of aid are not available.
Total UK bilateral Gross Public Expenditure<1> to ACP states,
1979 to 1993-94<2>
£ million
|Constant 1993-94<3>
|Current prices |prices
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |278.1 |693.4
1980 |317.1 |661.5
1981 |366.4 |686.0
1982 |311.2 |541.5
1983 |292.9 |484.3
1984 |328.5 |519.3
1985 |371.2 |555.1
1986 |339.6 |491.8
1987 |374.3 |516.4
1987-88 |422.1 |592.7
1988-89 |485.0 |638.3
1989-90 |582.4 |716.5
1990-91 |636.7 |725.2
1991-92 |525.0 |562.6
1992-93 |618.6 |637.5
1993-94 |531.1 |531.1
Source:
British Aid Statistics 1994 Edition.
Notes:
<1>Gross Public Expenditure on aid is expenditure by all official UK sources
i.e. Government Departments and public bodies such as the Commonwealth
Development Corporation.
<2>For years up to 1987 information is available on a calendar year basis only.
For subsequent years information is available only on a financial year basis.
<3>Calendar year figures are in 1993 prices while financial year figures are in
1993-94 prices.
Mr. Robert Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total British humanitarian and emergency relief through both bilateral and multilateral channels in cash and constant prices to the African, Caribbean and Pacific states for each year since 1979; and what humanitarian aid is planned for future years. [26952]
Mr. Baldry: British bilateral emergency aid includes that part of emergency aid channelled through multilateral agencies for which the British Government can identify the specific recipient country in advance. The allocation of other multilateral emergency aid to individual countries is not available.
The following table gives total British bilateral emergency aid to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries for the years 1987 88 to 1993 94. This is the only period for which it is possible to provide this information for these countries on a consistent basis. It is not our practice to publish estimates of expenditures on emergency relief which, by its very nature, is unpredictable.
Column 502
British bilateral emergency aid to African, Caribbean and Pacific
Countries 1987-88 to 1993-94
£ million
|Bilateral emergency
|British bilateral |aid at 1993-94
|emergency aid |prices
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |36.1 |50.7
1988-89 |45.5 |59.9
1989-90 |31.5 |38.8
1990-91 |44.7 |50.9
1991-92 |58.8 |63.0
1992-93 |83.8 |86.4
1993-94 |86.1 |86.1
Multilateral Aid (Export Benefits)
Miss Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what value in export benefit to British manufacturers arises from each pound contributed in multilateral aid in each year since 1979. [26868]
Mr. Baldry: Data on sources of procurement by the multilateral agencies are subject to various qualifications. The quality and coverage varies from agency to agency; there are considerable fluctuations from year to year in procurement from single countries and the data made available to donors are often late. 1982 is the earliest year for which the comprehensive data are available. There is no direct link between donor contributions and procurement, but we estimate that over the 10 years between 1982 and 1991 the agencies procured about £1.20 of UK goods and services for every £1 contributed by the UK to the agencies. Estimates for individual years are unreliable.
We are currently compiling estimates from the data provided for 1992 and 1993 and will provide data shortly.
Social Development Summit
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons Her Majesty's Government did not support the Copenhagen social summit proposal tabled by the UN Development Programme in respect of a levy on international currency transfers; and if he will make a statement. [27392]
Mr. Baldry: We support the summit's conclusion that this type of taxation should not be promoted as a way of assisting developing countries. There are huge practical difficulties in the application of such a tax and it would distort international financial transactions.
The best way to help poorer countries develop is to allow them to participate fully in international commerce. This is why my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development made it clear in her address to the summit that full implementation of the general agreement on tariffs and trade is more likely to generate increased jobs worldwide than any other single international development.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds Her Majesty's Government did not support the Copenhagen social summit proposal tabled by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and the United Nations Development Programme in respect of the 20:20 initiative; and if he will make a statement. [27400]
Column 503
Mr. Baldry: We worked with our international partners to agree an acceptable formula for the world summit for social development declaration. We support the Copenhagen declaration and programme of action including the section which refers to the 20:20 initiative.
China (Family Planning)
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library the information provided by the International Planned Parenthood Federation to his Department on the activities of the Chinese Family Planning Association; [27296]
(2) what information he has on the amounts donated to China from the core funds of the United Nations Population Fund--UNFPA--and the International Planned Parenthood Federation for each of the last 16 available years; [27238]
(3) what facilities or arrangements exist for Parliament to monitor the expenditure of funds by the International Planned Parenthood Federation and --UNFPA granted by Her Majesty's Government to the core funds of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the UNFPA; [27295]
(4) if he will list the results of his policy of funding the Chinese population control programme via the core funds of the UNFPA and the International Planned Parenthood Federation; and if he will make a statement; [27241]
(5) what is his estimate of the number of ultra-sound machines now operating in China; what assistance has been given by the UNFPA, IPPF and the Chinese Family Planning Association in respect of supplying, operating or training operators of such machines; and what information he has on the purposes to which such machines are being put. [27233]
Mr. Baldry [holding answers 8 June 1995]: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Member and copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has on the situation in the villages of Feng Jia Zhuang and Long Tian Gou in Hebei province, following the Chinese Government's push to enforce population control laws there; and what representations Her Majesty's ambassador to China has made regarding the situation in these villages; [27227] (2) what information he has on the situation of Chinese Roman Catholics who conscientiously object to Chinese population control policies; and what assurance he has received from the Chinese Government that conscientious objection will be respected; [27228] (3) if his Department has obtained a copy of the law of the People's Republic of China on maternal and infant health care adopted in October 1994; and if he will raise the law at the United Nations as liable to breach the United Nations guaranteed human rights to found a family freely and decide the number and spacing of children; [27229]
(4) what information he has on eugenic practices in China's population control policy; and if he will make a statement; [27230]
Column 504
(5) what information he has on the Chinese Government's announcement in February 1995 of tougher goals for population growth rates and the measures to be taken to achieve such goals; and if he will make a statement; [27231](6) what information he has on Chinese Government proposals to offer incentives to those complying with population control legislation and to reward local officials who successfully lower regional birth rates; and if he will make a statement; [27232] (7) what information he has on the reasons for the disproportionate proportion of boys born in China compared with the world's natural birth ratio; and if he will make a statement; [27234]
(8) if he will make a statement on the special report in the April edition of the "Catholic World Report" on the new eugenics law and population control programme in China, a copy of which has been sent to him. [27237]
Mr. Baldry [holding answers 8 June 1995]: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Member, and copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Desertification
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's schedule for ratification of the desertification convention; and what additional resources will be committed to it. [28014]
Mr. Baldry: We have no specific schedule. We intend to ratify concurrently with other EU and OECD countries. The level of resources committed will depend significantly on the priority given by our developing country partners to projects to combat desertification, in relation to their other proposals for funding from our aid programme.
Indonesia
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 June, Official Report, column 58 , what satellite remote sensing technology has now been, or will be, supplied to the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry under (a) the bilateral aid programme and (b) commercial arrangements; what is the precise nature of the technology; and which British companies are involved. [28186]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 12 June 1995]: Under the tropical forestry management programme we have supplied the Ministry of Forestry with a local application of remote sensing
techniques--LARST--system to receive and process up-to-the-minute information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite and Meteosat which are used to monitor the incidence of forest fires in Kalimantan. The project has also supplied NASA satellite imagery for forest and land use mapping purposes. LARST is a personal computer-- based system developed by the Natural Resources Institute at Chatham, in co -operation with the universities of Bradford, Reading and Cranfield, and the Meteorological Office, under an ODA research grant.
Column 505
LARST is low cost, simple and robust, and has many applications: drought and famine early warning, vegetation and pest monitoring, animal tracking, weather forecasting and aquatic resource management.As to the precise nature of the technology provided under the aid and trade provision, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 6 June 1995, Official Report, column 58 . The seminar was arranged by Technology Applied Systems Ltd.--using a team which included representatives from the British National Space Centre, Farnborough, the universities of Dundee, Nottingham and North Wales, the Natural Resources Institute, Technology Applied Systems Ltd., Hunting Technical Services and Gems of Cambridge.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 May, Official Report, column 584 , if he will give the exact date on which full and formal appraisal documents were submitted by the Overseas Development Administration and the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of the aid and trade provision support for the AIS submarine cable project; and by whom the appraisals were undertaken. [28189]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 12 June 1995]: The Department of Trade and Industry's appraisal document was completed in March 1984 and that of the Overseas Development Administration in June 1984. Each appraisal was conducted by officials of the relevant department. The ODA obtained additional advice from technical staff of the Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 June, Official Report , columns 56 57 , what specific equipment was supplied under the Bali and Medan airport security project; and who the Government engaged to carry out the associated training programme. [28183]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 12 June 1995]: The equipment supplied under the Bali and Medan airport security systems project was as follows:
External Items
CCTV Cameras
Lifting Boom type gates
Hand-held radios
Mobile X-Ray units
Portable X-Ray units
Microphonic fence detection systems
Microwave transceivers
Internal Items
CCTV Cameras
Hand baggage X-Ray units
Hold baggage X-Ray units
Hand-held metal detectors
Hand-held explosives vapour detectors
Archway metal detectors (Passenger gateways)
Passive infra-red detectors
Access control system
Guard tour points
Associated Items
Cables--mains power, coaxial video, fibre optic, data
Video recorders
Central control console
Camera control system
Column 506
Alarm monitor computerTools and test equipment
Uninterrupted power supplies
Spares
Training was carried out at the college of the UK supplier.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 May, Official Report , column 584 , if he will give the exact date on which full and formal appraisal documents were submitted by the Overseas Development Administration and the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of the aid and trade provision support for the Bukit Asam rail bridges project; and by whom the appraisals were
undertaken. [28187]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 12 June 1995]: The Department of Trade and Industry's appraisal was completed in August 1984 and that of the Overseas Development Administration during October 1984. The appraisals were undertaken by officials of the departments, with assistance from technical staff of the Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 May, Official Report , column 584 , if he will give the exact date on which full and formal appraisal documents were submitted by the Overseas Development Administration and the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of the aid and trade provision support for the isolated diesels project; and by whom the appraisals were undertaken. [28188]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 12 June 1995]: The appraisal documents for this project were submitted by both Departments in August 1982. The appraisals were conducted by the relevant officials in each Department.
| Next Section
| Home Page |