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Mixed-sex Hospital Wards

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many mental health hospitals or psychiatric units in Scotland have mixed-sex wards; and if he will list them. [63787]

Mr. Galbraith: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Arms Exports

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department was given new powers to object to proposed arms exports; what these powers entail; and if she will make a statement. [63846]

Clare Short: Licences to export arms are issued by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (DTI). The Export Control Organisation of the DTI is the licensing authority. A number of Departments provide advice; DFID has done so since September 1997. The Department for International Development's (DFID) interest in export licence applications is primarily that the proposed export does not seriously undermine the economy of the recipient country; and also that the equipment is not used for purposes of internal repression or external aggression. We focus our efforts on examining applications to poor countries.

World Disability Report

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department will provide financial assistance to the International Disability Foundation to disseminate their world disability report. [63693]

Clare Short: Yes. A grant of £15,000, the sum requested by the International Disability Foundation was approved on 3 December, the World Day of Disabled People.

Good Governance

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will set out the basic principles of good governance required by her Department of a country in which she is considering aid provision. [63790]

Clare Short: Our commitment is to reduce poverty through sustainable development. We work with governments who have a commitment to working for the elimination of poverty. This requires effective economic management, efficient government systems, the reduction of corruption, and investment in human development. We engage in dialogue with government where possible.

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Where we cannot work with government we will find other channels including parts of government, local government and NGOs which share our commitment.

Trade

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on promotion of United Kingdom trade in developing countries. [63849]

Clare Short: We believe that increasing trade in the poorest countries will contribute to economic growth and poverty elimination. The Department for International Development (DFID) works to improve the trading environment by encouraging open markets, good regulation, reduced corruption and strong education and health systems.

We support specific trade and investment initiatives where there is a clear development outcome. For example DFID is promoting links between UK small and medium enterprises and small businesses in South Africa.

Sustainable Development

Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she has taken to work with British business to strengthen support for investment and trade which contributes to sustainable development. [63646]

Clare Short: We have greatly strengthened the links between the department and British business since May 1997. We have established a Business Partnership Unit for this purpose and now consult with Business when preparing our strategies for working with individual countries or multilateral development agencies: we also seek to improve the operating environment for investment and trade (for example, through consultative forums on regulatory constraints); help business meet their corporate responsibility objectives (for example, through joint projects to tackle social and environmental issues and invest in the health and education of the workforce) and through partnerships which deepen the impact of business on the local economy (for example, through projects to help large business source from local suppliers). These initiatives all contribute to sustainable development and assist British businesses to invest and trade with the poorest countries.

China

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on concessional financing in China. [63847]

Clare Short: The White Paper on International Development (Cm 3789), published in November of last year, announced the abolition of the Aid and Trade Provision (ATP) and set out our policy on possible assistance to the private sector in paragraph 2.35. Any potential assistance would be subject to the strategy and sectoral focus agreed for each country and the standard procedures for quality control. We also made clear that all ATP projects previously agreed and still under implementation would be completed. This policy applies in China and elsewhere.

14 Dec 1998 : Column: 341

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress she has made in the promotion of human rights in China; and if she will make a statement. [63845]

Clare Short: The Government seek to support all the human rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in China and elsewhere, which means that we are concerned with economic and social rights as well as civil and political rights. We are engaged in dialogue with the Chinese authorities and have increased the frequency of formal talks. These have provided the opportunity for us to raise concerns about issues such as China's one child policy, imprisonment without trial, freedom of religion and executions.

As an additional means to addressing the economic and social rights of poor people in China, we are currently designing a range of projects (in basic health, education and water development) with a probable value of some £40 million. Meanwhile, we have approved a £670,000 project to help improve the lives of orphaned children in Shanghai through the introduction of a foster care system and are exploring the scope for further co-operation in the field of prison management reform and measures to combat corruption.

Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what consultations she carried out with the private sector when preparing her country strategy for China. [63544]

Clare Short: In preparing the China country strategy, my officials sought the views of companies with interests in China through the China Britain Trade Group and the British Chamber of Commerce in Beijing. Views were also sought from institutions, including the International Finance Corporation and the Commonwealth Development Corporation, which have strong private sector interests. In addition to the private sector, officials consulted civil society organisations, the academic community and a wide range of Chinese interlocutors.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the Commonwealth Development Corporation's investments in China. [63848]

Clare Short: At present the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) does not have any investments in China.

Country Strategies

Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what consultations she has carried out with the private sector when preparing her country strategies. [63545]

Clare Short: Consultations with the private sector and other elements of civil society have been part of the process of developing country strategies since May 1997. The channels used vary depending on country circumstances. Country strategy papers which have been finalised since the Government's White Paper on Development contain an annexe which sets out the process of consultation, including consultation that has taken place with the private sector. The papers are published and are also available in the Libraries of the House. They are also available to the public.

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Commonwealth Development Corporation

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries in which the Commonwealth Development Corporation currently invests. [63791]

Clare Short: Commonwealth Development Corporation currently has investment in the following countries:



















































14 Dec 1998 : Column: 343


    Trinidad and Tobago


    Uganda


    Vanuatu


    Vietnam


    Zambia


    Zimbabwe.

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