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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 19 November 1997
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
China
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will give details of the training and equipment assistance provided to the Chinese police; how much has been spent on it so far; and what future cost commitments there are. [16042]
Clare Short: DFID assistance is limited to a £1 million contribution, approved in September 1996, to a United Nations project (managed by the UN Drug Control Programme) in Yunnan Province. The purpose of the project is to strengthen the drugs law enforcement capability of customs and police officials. Activities include training, development of guidelines for prosecution of traffickers and provision of vehicles and communications equipment to assist drug control operations in the mountainous border region between Yunnan and Burma.
World Bank Group
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will set out the recent changes in ministerial responsibilities for the World Bank Group and indicate how these will impact on the role of officials. [17259]
Mr. Foulkes: I am pleased to inform the House that the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for International Development have agreed that, following the creation of the Department for International Development, the Secretary of State for International Development should become the United Kingdom Governor of the World Bank Group. The Chancellor has taken over the role of United Kingdom Alternate Governor of the World Bank Group. He and the Secretary of State for International Development attended the meeting of the Development Committee in Hong Kong in September, followed by the Annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank.
The division of responsibilities at official level in our Delegation to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington remains as before. The United Kingdom has one Executive Director for the World Bank and IMF who is a Treasury official appointed after consultation with the Department for International Development. On World Bank work, the Executive Director is assisted by an Alternate appointed by the Department for International Development.
Afghanistan
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she has taken to protect the human rights of women in Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement. [16039]
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Clare Short:
UK assistance in Afghanistan is guided by a common position agreed with other aid donors. This calls on all parties to recognise, protect and promote the equal rights and dignity of men and women, including access to education, employment outside the home, personal security and freedom from intimidation and harassment, and to support only aid programmes which actively attempt to promote the equitable participation of both men and women.
In repeated representations to the Taliban and other factions, we have urged respect for women's human rights, for example in urging them to relax their restrictions on women's work and education. We are also supporting Oxfam to research gender issues and advocate for women's rights in Kabul.
My Department has recently appointed a field manager for Afghanistan to monitor our programme and its relation to human rights more effectively. A team from my Department is currently in Afghanistan looking into these issues amongst others.
We will continue to give a high priority to measures aimed at protecting human rights in Afghanistan in the UN, the Afghanistan Donor Support Group and other fora.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she has taken to implement her undertaking not to support any new programmes by the Government of Indonesia covering East Timor. [16040]
Clare Short:
We are not supporting any projects through the Government of Indonesia which cover East Timor.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the compliance of the European Union's three-year programme of aid to East Timor with the European Union's objectives in respect of strengthening respect for human rights. [16041]
Clare Short:
The European Commission are still developing their proposals. My officials are maintaining contacts with their counterparts in the Commission.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what human rights projects she intends to support in East Timor. [16044]
Clare Short:
We are actively investigating the best means of addressing human rights issues in East Timor (including economic and social rights) in consultation with NGOs and other interested parties.
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance she has offered in respect of the recent floods in Somalia; and if she will make a statement. [16129]
Clare Short:
The UN estimate about 200,000 people have been affected by recent flooding in the Shabelle and Juba river valleys: 1,000 may have died. Access is difficult. My Department has provided £0.5 million bilaterally to
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help SCF and World Vision reach 50,000 people with supplies. The EU has earmarked about £1.6 million (UK contribution--£228,000) for logistics and supplies. We are in close touch with UN agencies and NGOs and will consider new needs as they emerge.
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance she has offered to Vietnam following the recent hurricane; and if she will make a statement. [16126]
Clare Short:
We offered a grant of £50,000 on 8 November through the British Embassy, Hanoi for the provision of immediate relief items. Most of this is being distributed by Oxfam to beneficiaries in the severely affected provinces of Tra vinh and Ca Mau. We are continuing to review the relief effort.
Mr. Marshall-Andrews:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place the consultation documents obtained during the review of the Millennium Dome Exhibition in the Library. [12998]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I do not intend at this juncture to disclose the detailed review of the Exhibition which took place immediately after the General Election. As I explained in my letter to the hon. Gentleman of 9 September, my decision to invoke the exemption relating to internal discussion and advice under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information was taken so as not to prejudice sensitive discussions between the New Millennium Company and contractors and sponsors. With the hon. Gentleman's agreement, I have made available in the Library of the House a copy of my letter of 9 September and of my letter of 10 September to him in my capacity as Chairman of the Millennium Commission.
Mr. Marshall-Andrews:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the date of the meeting of the Millennium Commission which approved funding for the Millennium Dome Exhibition of an additional £250 million. [12993]
Mr. Chris Smith:
At its meeting of 9 July 1997, the Millennium Commission, of which I am Chairman, approved an offer of grant to the New Millennium Experience Company of up to a maximum of £449 million (gross) by December 1999 and £399 (net), inclusive of grant already paid under the interim agreement signed on 27 March 1997.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if Sir Richard Eyre's appointment to chair the review group on the future of the London Coliseum and the Royal Opera House was conditional on his support for the basic principle of merger; and if he will make a statement. [15606]
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Mr. Fisher:
The text of my letter to Sir Richard Eyre has already been placed in the Libraries of the House. It says:
I am not aware of any suggestion of a merger of any kind between the Royal Opera House companies and English National Opera.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the estimated number of blind people who receive a discount for their television licence; when the amount was last reviewed; and if he will make it his policy to increase the discount for blind people. [16123]
Mr. Fisher:
Approximately 34,400 registered blind people received a reduction in their television licence fee in the year to August 1997. The concessionary scheme, including this reduction, was reviewed within Government in 1985, but that review did not lead to the discount for the blind being increased.
"I shall be happy to receive the Working Group's recommendations, and I encourage you to think freely and creatively about the options".
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