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Bananas
18. Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department will give to small farmers in the Caribbean currently dependent on the banana crop. [14125]
Mr. Foulkes:
Current UK assistance (97-98, £6 million) aims to strengthen the infrastructural and policy framework within which new initiatives can flourish and to raise educational standards so that people can take advantage of
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new opportunities. This complements substantial EC resources designed to promote efficiency in the banana industry, agricultural and economic diversification.
22. Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to challenge the World Trade Organisation judgment concerning Caribbean banana producers. [14129]
Mr. Foulkes:
The present EU bananas regime represents a serious attempt to meet our obligations to developing countries, in particular the African, Pacific and Caribbean (ACP) countries. It is disappointing that some parts of the regime have now been found incompatible with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. The UK supported the EU in its appeal against the ruling of the Dispute Settlement Panel but the WTO Appellate Body upheld most of the Panel findings. There are no further avenues of appeal left open to the EU. As firm adherents of the WTO process, we naturally accept therefore that the Community's arrangements will need to be brought into conformity with the WTO's rules.
The Government are considering the WTO findings on the EU banana regime in liaison with the Commission in Brussels, who have the principal responsibility for proposing revised arrangements which conform to our WTO obligations. As leading advocates of the legitimate interests of those developing countries in the Caribbean who have traditionally supplied the UK market, we intend to play a major role in developing a solution to the problem and are examining a number of proposals. Caribbean banana producers can rest assured that we have their interest high in our agenda.
19. Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who represented the UK Government at the DAC Expert Group on Women in Development held in Paris on the 2 and 3 October; and if she will make a statement on the meeting. [14126]
Clare Short:
The UK Government was representated by a Senior Social Development Adviser from my Department.
During the last 15 years the Group has played a catalytic role in ensuring that development agencies address the rights and needs of women. In the preparations for the Beijing Conference the UK served as Chair to the Group and is currently a member of the Bureau (Steering Group).
At its most recent meeting the Group changed its title to Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Development Cooperation. The Group's future workplan was agreed. Major items include integrating gender into the DAC's work on poverty eradication, ensuring that gender equality is handled as a cross-cutting issue in all the development Targets and presenting Guidelines on Gender Equality for endorsement by the DAC.
20. Mr. Prior:
What the Secretary of State for International Development what response her Department has made to the World Bank's World Development report 1997: the State in a Changing World. [14127]
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Clare Short:
In discussion with the President of the World Bank, I welcomed this report and, in particular, its recognition of the enabling role of the state in promoting pro-poor growth and providing services for poor people. My Department also participated in, and part-financed, a meeting of the European Policy Forum which brought together European donors, academics and the World Bank to assess the report's main messages. My officials have also discussed the report with the World Bank with a view to assessing the relevance of its conclusions for our own work.
21. Mr. Cousins:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate the numbers of refugees in Iran; and what action she is taking, with our European partners, to provide assistance to them. [14128]
Clare Short:
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there are approximately 2,016,000 refugees in Iran, including:
The European Community Humanitarian Office have given over £28 million during the period 1992-1996 of which the UK share is approximately £4.7 million. It's programmes are regularly discussed among EU partners.
23. Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to provide assistance to the peoples and environment of Tibet. [14130]
Clare Short:
We are currently contributing some £680,000 to five projects which are being implemented by non-governmental organisations. These projects--in the fields of education, income generation and environmental health--are helping to address the needs of rural and urban communities within Tibet and of Tibetan refugees in India.
24. Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's work in relation to Indonesian tropical rain forests. [14131]
Clare Short:
Forests provide vital resources for poor communities in Indonesia. Since 1991, my Department has spent over £25 million supporting efforts in Indonesia to conserve and enhance those resources through sustainable forest management. We are now preparing a new programme that will focus on increasing the benefits that poor forest dwellers get from their forests. This will improve the lives of the needy and encourage better protection against destructive forest clearing, logging and fires.
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25. Mr. Day:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will link aid to the entities in Bosnia-Herzegovina to progress in the implementation of the Dayton Agreement. [14132]
Clare Short:
Yes. Britain and other Governments seek to ensure that aid not only brings practical benefits but encourages Bosnian compliance with Dayton.
26. Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to meet the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of gross domestic product for overseas aid. [14133]
Clare Short:
As our Manifesto and the Government's White Paper on International Development makes clear, we are committed to the UN 0.7 per cent. oda/GNP target and to reversing the decline in UK aid spending of the past 18 years which was cut from 0.51 per cent. of GNP to 0.27 per cent. under the previous administration.
27. Mr. Clapham:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what international initiatives she is supporting to combat slavery. [14134]
Clare Short:
The United Kingdom has strengthened its commitment to the work of the International Labour Office (ILO) to strengthen the implementation of international conventions covering slavery and bonded labour especially where it affects children. I attended the International Conference of Child Labour in Oslo last month and was able to give strong support for the work of both ILO and United Nations Children's Fund in combating bonded child labour.
In Britain we are providing support for projects including Anti-Slavery International among others.
28. Mr. Wells:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the 1997 annual report of the World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. [14135]
Clare Short:
I am pleased that MIGA's 1997 Annual Report shows continuing growth in demand for insurance cover for private investments in developing countries. At the meeting of the Development Committee of the Bank in Hong Kong in September, I joined fellow Governors in agreeing a solution to MIGA's capital constraint, which will enable it to continue to expand its guarantee business.
29. Mrs. Browning:
To ask the Secretary of Stae for International Development what steps her Department is taking to encourage small and medium businesses in developing countries. [14136]
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Clare Short:
My Department is actively supporting the development of micro, small and medium enterprises. They are an essential means of providing poor people with greater access to income and employment opportunities.
1.4 M from Afghanistan;
580,000 from Iraq;
36,000 others (of which the main groups are from Zaire, Rwanda, Angola, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bosnia, Tajikstan, and Azerbaijan).
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