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Development Projects (Private Sector)
11. Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to encourage the private sector to become more involved with the support of development projects. [3865]
Clare Short: I want my Department to work in partnership with all those who can contribute to development and the eradication of poverty. That includes the private sector, of course. I shall be setting out my thinking in a speech at the Institute of Directors on 8 July and wish to encourage the private sector to work more closely with my Department, to encourage more investment in the world's poorest countries.
Mr. Sheerman: I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. She will know that, like so many Labour Members, I am very much in favour of a greater contribution from our revenues to development aid, but the private sector can play an important part in development, and where best practice exists it is very good indeed. I hope that my right hon. Friend will encourage more firms that trade with, and do well out of exports to, developing countries to become involved in local projects. I have seen that such projects are extremely effective in south America. I know that they are effective in some parts of Africa. I hope that my right hon. Friend will do everything that she can to stimulate that involvement and work on best practice.
Clare Short: My hon. Friend is right. In order to grow, the poorest countries need investment from the private sector. At present, private sector flows are concentrated in the 10 most developed of the under-developed countries. We must improve on that. The Commonwealth
Development Corporation, for which my Department provides support, does valuable work in that direction, but we are also keen to work with partner countries and with companies in Britain to develop the conditions to encourage more investment in the poorest countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
Mr. Fabricant: Is the right hon. Lady aware of all the valuable work done by the private water companies in developing water projects in sub-Saharan Africa? What assessment has her Department made of the effect on that form of aid of the introduction of the iniquitous windfall tax by her Government?
Clare Short: As I said to one of the hon. Gentleman's hon. Friends at the last International Development questions, these matters are too serious for cheap political points. I am not aware of any work done by private water companies in Africa.
Clare Short: I am not especially aware of that work, but if they are doing it, that is good work. Some 25 million--
Mr. Fabricant: Read your brief.
Clare Short: Why does the hon. Gentleman not listen? This is not a political game but a serious matter that affects the lives of human beings.
Some 25 million people a year die as a result of water-borne illnesses. There is a movement for an international conference that is likely to set the world a target of bringing clean water and sanitation to everyone in the world within 10 years. Everyone will have to work at that, but private companies alone will not do it, I am afraid.
Mr. Dafis:
Will the Minister agree to look into the multilateral agreement on investment currently being negotiated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development? Does she agree that it will involve a significant shift of power away from Governments--many of them democratic--to trans-national corporations and make it more difficult for those Governments to develop policies in relation to social and environmental objectives? Is not the agreement likely to be contrary to the spirit of sustainable development and Earth summit 2? Will the Government look into this and do something about it?
Clare Short:
As the hon. Gentleman may know, I came back overnight from the Earth summit in New York. The matter was raised with me by some of the non-governmental organisations there. I promised to take advice on the matter and saw one of my officials this morning, who promised me a paper later today. I shall look into the matter. My Department is not the lead Department on that issue. I do not believe that the agreement is the apocalypse that has been suggested in some quarters, but I shall look into it and write to the hon. Gentleman.
UNESCO
12. Miss Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what consultations she has had on the renewal of United Kingdom membership of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. [3866]
Clare Short: I met Mr. Mayor, UNESCO's director-general, in London on 2 June. I shall follow this up with a visit to UNESCO next Tuesday. I shall attend, along with United Kingdom staff, the raising of the Union Jack once again outside the UNESCO building.
Miss Begg: On what date shall we be rejoining UNESCO and, once we do so, what will Britain's priority be in that organisation?
Clare Short: Our renewed membership takes effect from 1 July, the day on which the Union flag will be rehoisted. I have already had talks with the director-general. Our additional funding in the first year will be spent on one of our overwhelming priorities--bringing primary education to all children in the world, especially girls. Educating girls is the most developmental thing that one can do. UNESCO will prioritise that work as part of its welcome of Britain back into the organisation.
Mr. Wells: I congratulate the right hon. Lady on Britain's return to UNESCO, but how will she compensate the bilateral aid budget for the £12 million that she will have to spend in that organisation for our membership?
Clare Short: It is actually £5 million this year. As I have said, that money will be spent on work that we absolutely support: getting all the children of the world into primary education is one of the most important developmental things that we will do. The money for this year will come out of the contingency reserve. The implication of the hon. Gentleman's remarks is that any money that we spend in the World bank or on United Nations' work is not beneficial, but that is not so. We must ensure that that money is spent to serve our aim to eradicate poverty in the world.
Development Issues (Public Information)
13. Mr. Hope: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with non-governmental organisations on educating the public about development issues. [3867]
Clare Short: I am reviewing the Department's communications so that we can increase public understanding and support for our strategies for poverty elimination. I intend to consult widely on the forthcoming White Paper, which the House will debate on Tuesday.
Mr. Hope: I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Is she aware that the global youthwork advisory service is to be launched next week in the House of Commons? Does she agree that it is important to raise young people's
awareness of the globalised world and its effect on their lives, and of how their choices and behaviour affect the world around them?
Clare Short: I agree with my hon. Friend completely. When I visit schools and colleges I find that such global issues concern young people more than any other political issue. As I keep saying, the reality is that we could halve world poverty by 2015 if we all worked at it. We must get everyone committed to that aim and make people optimistic about what can be achieved. Young people can give the lead on that, and we want to work with them to ensure that they do.
PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Q1. Mr. Dennis Turner: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 25 June. [3885]
The Prime Minister (Mr. Tony Blair): This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. I also met Margaret Gibney, the young schoolgirl from Belfast.
Mr. Turner: I was wondering whether my right hon. Friend has had an opportunity yet to study my Weights and Measures (Beer and Cider) Bill? It is an important consumer measure for millions of beer drinkers in Britain. I can advise my right hon. Friend that what beer drinkers want is a full pint of beer with the froth on top.
The Prime Minister: I know that my hon. Friend, as chairman of Bilston Springvale club, always gives good value for money. I thoroughly applaud his campaign to make sure that the British pint is a good, honest pint.
Mr. Hague: I agree with the Prime Minister about that.
When the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) says that he was threatened with expulsion from the Labour party if he campaigned against a Welsh Assembly in the forthcoming referendum and the Secretary of State of Wales denies that, which one is telling the truth?
The Prime Minister:
I can assure the right hon. Gentleman, and I again welcome him to the Dispatch Box, that no one has been threatened with expulsion. People are perfectly entitled to state their position, provided, of course, that they do so in accordance with the rules of the parliamentary party.
Mr. Hague:
So let the whole House get it clear: when the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent says that he was told twice that he would be kicked out of the Labour party if he stood for beliefs, we have the Prime Minister's personal assurance that he was not telling the truth.
The Prime Minister:
I can give my personal assurance that no such threat was made.
Mr. Hague:
In that case, who authorised Mr. Huw Roberts--a special adviser at the Welsh Office--to tell local council officials that their relationship with the
The Prime Minister:
That is absolutely right. I can tell the right hon. Gentleman that I have asked for an investigation into this matter, and I am told--[Interruption.] If hon. Members would just wait a minute. I am told that that allegation is untrue as well, so perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will now withdraw it.
Mr. Hague:
The whole House will hope that it is untrue and the whole House will look forward to seeing the result of the investigation in due course. Just so we have this absolutely clear, when the Secretary of State for Wales tells The Daily Telegraph that individuals in the Labour party must not flout the party election manifesto, but the Secretary of State for Scotland tells the House, as he did a few weeks ago, that any Member of Parliament has a right to speak his or her mind as he sees fit, which one is speaking for the Government?
The Prime Minister:
I have just made it clear--[Hon. Members: "No."] Perhaps I will make it clear again. One: Members of Parliament are perfectly entitled to speak their mind. Two: there is no truth in the allegation that pressure was put on councils or that they had been told that they could not have the resources or any of the rest of it. If that were the case, it would be quite wrong. It is not the case, and perhaps now the right hon. Gentleman will withdraw the allegation.
Mr. Hague:
Will the Prime Minister therefore--
Madam Speaker:
Order. The House will come to order.
Mr. Hague:
Will the Prime Minister therefore give us a cast-iron guarantee that he will come to the House with the result of that investigation? Does he not regard it as an extraordinary state of affairs that different Cabinet Ministers give conflicting views on this matter and that investigations into it have to be mounted? What will he do to stop the arrogant behaviour of his Government on these matters and to ensure that there is an honest and open debate?
The Prime Minister:
Unfortunately, and I understand these problems, I think that the right hon. Gentleman prepared his last question before he heard the answer. I have just made it clear that I investigated the matter this morning. There is no truth in these allegations. People are perfectly entitled to speak their mind. They are entitled to do that and that has been made clear by everyone concerned. It is important that we now get on and debate the principles that underlie the devolution debate. I can only say to the right hon. Gentleman that, if he carries on with points like this, no wonder he has no Members of Parliament left in Wales or Scotland.
Q2. Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
Does my right hon. Friend agree that an effective partnership between
The Prime Minister:
I can indeed confirm that that is the case. We are absolutely delighted at the response we have already received from the private sector in respect of the welfare-to-work plans. The fact that there are so many public companies that are prepared to come forward and make a commitment to taking young people who are unemployed off the dole and giving them proper skills and education, with the chance then to get into a decent job, is a very great tribute to the British sense of social responsibility and to our companies in particular.
Mr. Ashdown:
Does the Prime Minister accept that there remains, I fear, some confusion as to whether the Government will permit the transfer of funds from one Department to another to solve the coming winter crisis in health and education? The Sunday newspapers, quoting a Government source in Denver, said that they would, but the BBC, quoting the Chancellor on Monday, said that they would not. Which is Government policy?
The Prime Minister:
This is our continuing debate at Prime Minister's Question Time. As I have said on many occasions, the position is the same as it has always been. The overall control totals must be kept within; the departmental spending limits are there and for these two years will be kept within. As the Chancellor said, of course--as we said in our manifesto--if social security can be reduced, it will be possible to spend more money on education. As I said to the right hon. Gentleman last week, if, in theory, there were a great pot of money that could be used, that would be fine, but there is not; that is the problem. We have had to take those tough spending limits precisely because of the position that we have inherited.
Mr. Ashdown:
The Prime Minister's respect is reciprocated, but the question remains and I fear that it remains unanswered. Will the departmental ceilings, such as that on the distribution of the contingency reserve, be allowed to increase?
Let me explain to the Prime Minister why that is so important. Waiting lists are getting longer again. The number of emergency operations that have been cancelled at the last minute is increasing again. The hospital trusts are £300 million, and more, in debt, and sinking further into debt at the rate of £1 million a day. If something is not done about that, there will be mayhem in the NHS this winter, and the longer it is left, the worse it will get.
The Prime Minister:
I entirely understand the problems that there are in the health service and in our education service. I do not think that Conservative Members should be shouting about that; they created those problems. We must do the best we can within the overall limits of public finance, because of the enormous debt burden that we have inherited and the need to take tough action. We simply cannot avoid that, but within those limits we shall do what we can.
Q3. Mr. Mullin:
Will the Prime Minister confirm that it remains his intention within the lifetime of this
The Prime Minister:
It is our intention to remove the voting rights from hereditary peers in the House of Lords, and there will also be a free vote on fox hunting.
Mr. Hogg:
If I may revert to the question that was asked by my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague), it is clear from what the right hon. Gentleman has said that it is not possible for both the Secretary of State for Wales and the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) to be correct. Either one or the other is correct. Why should we support the version of the Secretary of State for Wales? Is not the proper way forward to cause the right hon. Gentleman and the hon. Gentleman to come to the House to make a personal statement, so that we may judge for ourselves?
The Prime Minister:
As I have tried to explain to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks, when I read about these reports, correctly guessing that they might be raised at Question Time, I asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales about that, and I have given the assurance that I have given the House.
Q4. Dr. Lynne Jones:
The latest results for educational achievement at key stage 2 in Birmingham schools show a clear correlation between poor results and a high turnover in school populations. That is something that has bothered me ever since the year I discovered that, in my primary school, on an outer-city estate in Birmingham, only one child-- [3888]
Madam Speaker:
Order. The hon. Lady has been here long enough to know that this is Question Time and we do not want a long preamble about her earlier life.
Dr. Jones:
Only one child at year six had been in the school since the reception class. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that the crusade to drive up standards in schools gives special attention to the needs of those schools in which the school population changes almost entirely over a three or four-year period, and to the causes of that problem?
The Prime Minister:
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to draw attention to the problems of schools when they have a large transient population. That is one of the issues that will be addressed in the education White Paper which will be published shortly. It is also important to realise that, in Birmingham, about 10,500 five, six and seven-year-olds are in classes of more than 30, thanks to what the previous Government did. Those are some of the issues that we shall address, and we shall address them urgently.
Mr. Salmond:
Will the Prime Minister confirm or deny the report on the front page of The Scotsman that the Government are recasting the detail of the taxation
The Prime Minister:
First, the Minister of State has already denied those reports on the lunchtime news--I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman realises that. Secondly, there is absolutely no confusion about the devolution plans, and there is huge support for them in Scotland and elsewhere. That support would be increased if the hon. Gentleman's party finally came off the fence and supported them too.
Q5. Mr. Martyn Jones:
May I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his magnificent speech on the environment in New York? Does he agree that human population pressures are a major factor in the degradation of the global environment, and that the way forward is to implement the action plan produced at the Cairo population development conference, at the heart of which was the idea that females' right to choose the size of their families is a most important feature in sustainable future growth? [3889]
The Prime Minister:
My hon. Friend is right in the concern that he raises. We fully support the Cairo programme for action. Indeed, we spend about £70 million a year on support for family planning and other measures. It is tremendously important to the future of the developing world.
Q6. Mr. Spring:
Does the right hon. Gentleman share the view that the provision of nursery education by local education authorities should be without discrimination? Is he aware, however, that that is not the case in Suffolk, where nursery education is provided under the umbrella of the Labour-controlled county council's anti-poverty programme? May I tell the Prime Minister of the increasing concern of parents in Suffolk, who find that nursery education there is based on damaging nostrums of social engineering issuing from members of his party? [3890]
The Prime Minister:
I do not know about the situation to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but if he looks at the record of Labour and Conservative councils throughout the country, he will find that the record of Labour authorities on nursery education is far superior to that of Conservative authorities.
Ms Ward:
What are the Government's views on the recent publicity surrounding the launch of alcoholic icepops, following the controversy of the alcopops drinks and their influence on under-age drinkers? What action do the Government propose to take against those products?
The Prime Minister:
As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has made clear, a working party has been
Q7. Mr. Burns:
Will the Prime Minister tell the House when and, more important, how the Government plan to keep their pre-election pledge to help a group of disadvantaged pensioners who are having to use their savings below the £16,000 maximum to pay for their own residential care? That is because Labour and Liberal Democrat-controlled Sefton council refuses to accept the will of the House and says that, until these pensioners' savings have fallen to £1,500, they will have to pay for themselves. [3891]
The Prime Minister:
I really am surprised that a Conservative Member has the nerve to raise that matter. Many elderly people have difficulties with community care and paying nursing home costs precisely because of the problems left by the last Conservative Government. This Government are trying to deal with those problems.
Mr. Skinner:
I just want to prove the theory that somebody on this side is allowed to speak his mind. Now that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has discovered a great big black hole in the country's finances arising out of the fiddles that the last Tory Government carried out, will my right hon. Friend reflect on the fact that, come next Wednesday, we shall have a great opportunity to find additional revenue to fill the black hole created by that lousy, rotten Government? We can then ensure that we have more money for the health service, for education and for doing many of the things that we need to do in order to continue to win power again.
The Prime Minister:
The decisions on the Budget will have to await the Chancellor of the Exchequer next week, but I certainly agree with what my hon. Friend says about the mess left by the last Conservative Government. I do not know whether this worries him more than me, but I find myself increasingly in agreement with him on many issues.
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