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Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Timms: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5088]

Mr. Boswell: The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments arising from contracts under the PFI. This is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projections of the level of expenditure expected to arise from signed contracts under PFI would be published in the 1997-98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

Meat Processing Industry

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions his Department has had with Hillsdown Ambient Foods Group Ltd. relating to problems for the meat processing industry arising from the BSE crisis. [5048]

Mrs. Browning: My Department holds regular meetings with various trade organisations representing the meat processing industry, including the British Meat Manufacturers Association and the UK Association of Frozen Food Producers. Representatives from the Hillsdown Ambient Foods Group Ltd. have attended these

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 564

meetings, which regularly discuss problems facing the meat processing industry arising from the market disruption caused by consumer concern about BSE.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

Palestine (Aid)

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been given to the Palestinian state since the devolution of power from Israel. [4916]

Dr. Liam Fox: The Palestinian Authority assumed responsibility for Gaza and Jericho in May 1994. Bilateral development assistance given to the west bank and Gaza for 1994-95 and 1995-96 was £8.9 million. Additionally, we provide approximately one sixth of the EC's 500 mecu--£417 million--aid to the Palestinians, pledged for 1994 to 1998.

Nigeria

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what are the time scale and objectives of the Commonwealth ministerial action group mission to Nigeria; [5039]

Dr. Liam Fox: The Commonwealth ministerial action group will visit Nigeria on 19 and 20 November. The group has been tasked to assess Nigeria's adherence to the Harare principles of good governance and make recommendations to the Commonwealth Heads of Government on its suspension from the association.

The group has been working to encourage the Nigerian authorities to take immediate steps to improve human rights, including the release of political prisoners, and to restore accountable civilian government. It has also requested meetings with a wide range of people, including Chief Moshood Abiola.

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 565

Middle East Aid

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been given to (a) Israel, (b) Egypt, (c) Jordan, (d) Lebanon and (e) Syria in each of the last five years. [4915]

Dr. Liam Fox: UK aid to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, the Lebanon and Syria has been provided on both a bilateral and a multilateral basis.

Bilateral expenditure
£ thousands

Total ODA programmeTotal gross public expenditure
Israel
1991-921313
1992-9388
1993-9488
1994-9577
1995-961013
Egypt
1991-9212,38513,409
1992-937,6068,833
1993-945,9017,128
1994-954,8846,123
1995-965,0196,245
Jordan
1991-923,1223,122
1992-934,2517,307
1993-944,2094,209
1994-955,2318,902
1995-965,90210,877
Lebanon
1991-92182182
1992-93245247
1993-94264316
1994-95162211
1995-96219219
Syria
1991-9233
1992-931616
1993-943030
1994-95049
1995-961636

ODA Programme contains Financial Aid, Technical Cooperation, Aid and Trade Provision, Programme Aid, Emergency Aid, Non Project Technical Cooperation and ODA Debt Relief.

GPEX consists ODA Programme plus CDC Investments and Other Debt relief and Drugs.


Multilateral expenditure
£ millions

UK share of net oda disbursements
Israel
19900.1
19913.2
19920.7
19930
19942.1
Egypt
19905.1
199127.9
19927.8
19937.4
199417.5
Jordan
19900.9
199118.9
19924
19934.7
19945.8
Lebanon
19903
19910.8
19921.1
19931.9
19942.1
Syria
19901.1
19910.2
19921
19930.5
19941.6

Source:

British Aid Statistics 1996 Edition OECD

Note:

1995-96 figures are provisional until publication of British Aid Statistics.

Multilateral aid consists UN, EC and other.


20 Nov 1996 : Column: 566

Aid Recipients

Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the 10 countries receiving the largest amounts of United Kingdom aid in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [4831]

Dr. Liam Fox: The 10 countries receiving the largest amounts of development assistance in each of the last three years are as follows:

£ million
1993-94
India102
Bangladesh55
Former Yugoslavia(4)52
Zambia48
Pakistan44
Zimbabwe41
Uganda40
Indonesia35
Mozambique35
China34
1994-95
India100
Pakistan80
Bangladesh56
Zambia56
Indonesia51
Uganda47
Former Yugoslavia(4)46
Rwanda45
Malawi41
Zimbabwe35
1995-96
India99
Bangladesh48
Former Yugoslavia(4)38
Indonesia38
Malawi33
China33
Uganda32
Pakistan32
Russia31
Zambia29

(4)Excluding technical co-operation to Slovenia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.


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At £2,154 million in 1996-97, British development assistance makes a substantial contribution to reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development. An increasing proportion of ODA's bilateral budget is concentrated on the poorest countries in Africa and south Asia who need assistance the most and can make the best use of it.

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 568

European Union Aid Budget

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the European Union budget commitment appropriation for (a) B7-5010, co-financing of development projects carried out by non-governmental organisations and public awarenesss campaigns, (b) B7-5050, aid for population policies and programmes in developing countries and (c) B7-5046, the fight against AIDS in developing countries in each year since 1993. [4896]

Dr. Liam Fox: The European Union budget commitment appropriations for each of the years 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 respectively were as follows (sterling equivalents, at today's exchange rate of £1 = 1.2785 ecu, shown in brackets):

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Budget lineTitle1993199419951996
B7-6000 (was B7-5010)Community contributions towards schemes concerning developing countries carried out by NGOs135,000,000 ecu (£105,592,491)145,000,000 ecu (£113,414,157)162,500,000 ecu (£127,102,072)174,000,000 ecu (£136,096,989)
B7-610 (was B7-5031)Separate Budget Line for training and promotion of awarenesss on developing issues2,000,000 ecu (£1,564,333)2,000,000 ecu (£1,564,333)3,000,000 ecu (£2,346,500)4,000,000 ecu (£3,128,666)
B7-631 (was B7-5050)Aid for population policies and programmes in developing countries4,000,000 ecu (£3,128,666)5,000,000 ecu (£3,910,833)6,000,000 ecu (£4,692,999)7,000,000 ecu (£5,475,166)
B7-6211 (was B7-5046)Health programme and the fight against HIV/AIDS in developing countries10,000,000 ecu (£7,821,666)12,500,000 ecu (£9,777,082)12,500,000 ecu (£9,777,082)15,000,000 ecu (£11,732,499)

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 567

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding was allocated for how many and for which projects for (a) B7-5010, co-financing of development projects carried out by non-governmental organisations and public awareness campaigns, (b) B7-5050, aid for population policies and programmes in developing countries and (c) B7-5046, the fight against AIDS in developing countries European Union budget lines in each year since 1993; and which NGOs and agencies are responsible for implementing these projects. [4897]

Dr. Fox: I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly.


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