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Debt Relief
13. Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with voluntary organisations in relation to the reduction of the debt burden on developing countries. [67518]
Clare Short: In December, I met the directors of the voluntary organisations which comprise the British Overseas Aid Group (BOAG)--ActionAid, Oxfam, the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD), Christian Aid and Save the Children Fund. Also in December, I met BOND--which represents the smaller NGOs. They agreed with the need to develop and strengthen the link between debt relief and poverty reduction and welcomed the fact that we are pressing for this issue to be considered during the forthcoming comprehensive review of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative, and for civil society in developing countries to be involved in the review.
22. Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the new German Government about debt relief and poverty reduction. [67528]
Clare Short: I met the German Development Minister in Bonn in November last year. The discussions covered poverty reduction, debt relief and a number of other development issues. I was pleased to find a new convergence of UK and German views on development policies. In December, officials from my Department and the Treasury followed up in discussions with their German counterparts proposals for taking forward the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC).
24. Mr. David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with ministers of the German Government concerning an initiative on debt relief for developing countries at the European Council meeting in Cologne. [67530]
Clare Short: I met the German Development Minister and her officials in Bonn in November last year. The discussions covered poverty reduction, debt relief and a number of other development issues. We shall continue to work closely with the German government during their Presidency of the European Union and of the G8 on their proposals for debt relief, which are similar to those in our own Mauritius Mandate.
25. Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to reduce the debts of the poorest countries. [67531]
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Clare Short:
The Chancellor and I are working to see international agreement to speed up the implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt initiative so that all eligible countries will be on track for debt relief by 2000. We are pressing for this and other key issues, including the level of debt relief and the link to poverty reduction, to be examined during the comprehensive review of the HIPC initiative which is to report by July this year. Over the past two years, the Department for International Development (DFID) has cancelled some £30 million of bilateral aid debts and provided some £36 million to help the African Development Bank meet its share of the cost of implementing the HIPC debt initiative. We are also providing around £100 million to help a number of developing countries meet their debt service payments to international financial institutions. In addition, DFID is providing technical assistance in debt management to poor countries and funding research on the key issues of debt sustainability and internal debt. In the run-up to the Cologne Summit, we are working closely with the German government, whose proposals for debt relief are similar to those in our own Mauritius Mandate.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to support the recent initiative of the German Chancellor on debt relief for developing nations. [68098]
Clare Short:
We welcome the recent German proposals for debt relief. In many of their elements, they reinforce the Mauritius Mandate, launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in September 1997. It is encouraging to see that the German proposals call for the cancellation of aid loans to Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) but we should like to see them extending aid debt relief to more countries.
My greatest concern remains that debt relief should be linked to poverty reduction. This aspiration was contained in Chancellor Schroeder's proposals. We have pressed that the IMF/World Bank review of HIPC should give more emphasis to the link between debt relief and poverty reduction.
14. Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made to support the continuing humanitarian relief effort in (a) Kosovo and (b) Montenegro. [67519]
Clare Short:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there were 200,000 persons displaced within Kosovo as at 22 January.
We are working closely with international organisations, led by UNHCR, to ensure that the humanitarian needs of those affected by the conflict in Kosovo are met. During 1999, UNHCR-led convoys have provided food and other items to more than 40,000 people throughout Kosovo. These supplies were provided through UNHCR, World Food Programme, Mercy Corps International, Catholic Relief Services, Children's Aid Direct, Doctors of the World, World Vision and Oxfam.
It has been reported that refugees have begun entering Montenegro once more in the light of deteriorating security in Kosovo. UNHCR are financing an operation
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to register refugees from Kosovo who will be provided with an identity card to confirm that they are entitled to assistance.
The World Health Organisation is co-ordinating regular visits by medical teams, which are currently providing mental outreach services and organising education and hygiene programmes for those living in collective centres.
16. Mr. Baldry:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what initiatives her Department is taking to support intermediate technology. [67522]
Clare Short:
We believe the poor need access to technology appropriate for the development of sustainable livelihoods. As part of our effort we are funding a three-year programme with the Intermediate Technology Development Group to develop policy and technologies within eight key engineering sectors which span domestic and small-scale industrial applications.
17. Mr. Lock:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's support for medical services for children in (a) countries suffering emergencies from natural causes and (b) war zones. [67523]
Clare Short:
The provision of medical assistance for children caught up in emergencies is considered alongside other needs as an integral part of our humanitarian assistance provided in response to crises caused by conflicts and natural disasters. We channel support through United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations; looking first to agencies that are well established in the country and have the local knowledge and expertise to deliver assistance most effectively. Children affected by armed conflict have special needs for protection, and we strongly support the efforts of the Special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on children in armed conflict, and UNICEF, to promote the safety and welfare of children in war zones.
18. Mr. Stunell:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer concerning the future tax position of the Commonwealth Development Corporation. [67524]
Clare Short:
We are working with HM Treasury and the Inland Revenue to produce a tax solution that will encourage investment in the poorest countries through the CDC public-private partnership. Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise our proposals.
The Commonwealth Development Corporation needs to be tax efficient if it is to be able to achieve its goal of investing in developing countries using private capital raised within the context of a competitive private investment market dominated by offshore funds. In order to compete directly with offshore funds for private capital for investment in its area, CDC would need to provide a similar financial return. A material UK tax charge within CDC would make this less achievable.
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19. Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received on aid to Zimbabwe. [67525]
Clare Short:
Since 1 December, I have answered 10 Parliamentary Questions and replied to letters from hon. Members on both sides of the House. We have also been engaging in a consultation process within Zimbabwe on our country strategy.
20. Ms Oona King:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the crisis in the great lakes region of Africa. [67526]
Clare Short:
We are deeply disturbed about the impact of the ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the consequences for the people throughout the Great Lakes region. The involvement of so many other countries in the continuing conflict in the DRC and the risks of escalation are very serious. We are ready to provide humanitarian assistance where this is possible. But a ceasefire is needed urgently. Britain is supporting efforts by President Chiluba and other regional leaders to secure this ceasefire and to find a political solution which will protect the sovereignty of the DRC, ensure the rights and protection of all Congolese and address the security concerns of neighbouring countries.
An important part of the solution will be progress on reconciliation in Rwanda. Rwanda needs international support to help it achieve peace and reconciliation and I have agreed to provide £30 million in three annual grants to help. The rationale and objectives for our support to Rwanda are set out in my letter dated 26 January to you as the Chair of the All-Party Group on Rwanda. A copy of my letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
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