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Wild Animal Habitats
Mr. Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what policies her Department has to promote the protection of habitats for wild animals in the developing world. [11006]
Clare Short: My Department aims to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor through the sustainable use and management of wildlife resources and habitats. Our conservation and wildlife activities are therefore developed with particular reference to rural people and their needs in the context of sustainable resource management.
We assist developing countries to maintain wildlife reserves and protect habitats and wildlife through better management and training. Recently we have also encouraged the management by local communities of habitats and wildlife.
We work with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on the convention on biological diversity and assistance to other countries on their plans, strategies and activities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. We provide support through the bilateral development assistance programme and are responsible for UK contribution to the global environment facility, which is the interim financial mechanism for the biodiversity convention.
We have also recently agreed to help the European Commission to develop guidelines on the conservation of wildlife and management of protected areas in co-operation with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she will take to facilitate progress in international co-operation on a policy for fresh water management. [9349]
Clare Short:
We fully recognise the importance of sustainable fresh water management, the rapidly increasing pressure on the resource and that water is a basic requirement for life.
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My Department, with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is actively involved in an EU initiative to promote a more strategic approach to fresh water management, which will be considered during the next session of the UN commission on sustainable development in 1998. We will use the UK's EU presidency to promote this initiative. The UK also plays a leading role in the global water partnership, which promotes co-operation and improved water management as well as in other international forums.
We recognise that the critical actions must be at the basin level, be that local, national or regional, and that international co-operation needs to focus on promoting and supporting sound management principles and raising awareness.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what are the levels of UK Government aid to (a) Rwanda and (b) the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the current financial year.[10800]
Clare Short:
Since April 1997, we have disbursed £1 million to Rwanda and almost £0.5 million to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in bilateral emergency and rehabilitation assistance. We expect to provide a further £4.9 million to Rwanda in 1997-98 to help fulfil a pledge of £8 million made in 1996. We shall continue to provide emergency assistance to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as needs arise. Britain has also provided £95 million to the region since 1994 through the EU.
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Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding is presently committed from her departmental budget for (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-00 to resolve the year 2000 computer problem; and whether she will make a statement. [11377]
Clare Short:
Funding committed to resolving the year 2000 problem is as follows:
The Department for International Development has already commenced the task of making its corporate systems ready for the year 2000. These systems have been changed, or will be by November 1997, and changes tested by October 1998. Problems with other, smaller, departmental systems have been identified. Costs of correcting these will be met from the £100,000 in the 1997-98 budget. Estimates for external help in 1998-99 have not yet been made but they are unlikely to be significantly higher than in 1997-98.
Mr. Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her estimate of total departmental expenditure on computer-related current and capital work for (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98, (d) 1998-99 and (e) 1999-00; and if she will make a statement. [11381]
Clare Short:
The total actual and estimated future capital and associated administration costs of computer-related work for the years in question is as follows:
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1997-98
£145,000, consisting of £100,000 for purchasing assistance and £45,000 of departmental staff time working on year 2000 issues.
1998-99
£65,000 of departmental staff time testing changes.
1999-00
None.
| £ million | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year and amount | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1098-99 | 1999-00 |
| Capital | 2.1 | 6.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Recurrent | 0.5 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Total | 2.6 | 7.9 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
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The development and maintenance of information systems is essential for the continued effective administration of the aid programme. Capital expenditure on computer-related work was relatively high in 1996-97 because of the need to replace obsolescent equipment, the introduction of Windows and the introduction of the systems required for resource accounting and budgeting. Recurrent expenditure in 1996-97 and 1997-98 is relatively high because of the costs of training staff in the operation of the new systems. Among other things, the new systems will facilitate improved communications and lead to better access to information.
Central Europe (Flooding)
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid her Department has given to central European countries in respect of the
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recent flooding (a) for immediate relief and (b) for reconstruction; and what expert (i) military and (ii) civilian personnel Her Majesty's Government have provided. [11119]
Clare Short:
The UK has provided £100,000 and £60,000 in response to the floods in Poland and the Czech Republic respectively for medical supplies, food, hygiene parcels, drinking water, blankets and detergents. We have no plans for bilateral assistance towards reconstruction in the flood affected countries of central Europe.
The possible use of military and civil defence assets to assist the relief effort is being co-ordinated by the United Nations department of humanitarian affairs. Offers of UK civil support are being considered.
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Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what directions he has given to the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in respect of replies to parliamentary questions. [8009]
Mr. Spellar:
The chief executive of the Defence Research Agency is required to answer parliamentary questions in accordance with Government policy and Departmental instructions and guidance. I am placing a copy of the departmental instructions in the Library of the House.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, following the recent Budget, he will give his estimate of the total real level of his Department's budget, in 1995-96 prices, in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99; if he will estimate what such figures were for (1) 1997-98 and (2) 1998-99 following the November 1996 Budget on the basis of the estimates of the GDP deflator contained in that Budget; and if he will make a statement. [8301]
Dr. Reid
[holding answer 14 July 1997]: The information is as shown in the following table:
| £ million | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
| Current spending plans (cash) | 21,822 | 22,276 |
| Plans at 1995-96 prices (July 1997 GDP deflators) | 20,668 | 20,533 |
| Plans at 1995-96 prices (November 1996 GDP deflators) | 20,872 | 20,889 |
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new plans he has to introduce cuts and savings in his Department as a result of the effect on his Department's budgets for 1997-98 and 1998-99 of the upward revisions to the GDP deflator in the Budget on 2 July; and if he will make a statement. [8302]
Dr. Reid [holding answer 14 July 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 28 July 1997, Official Report, column 14.
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