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Overseas Travel
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate his Department's expenditure on overseas travel for (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99, (c) 1999-2000, (d) 2000-01 and (e) 2001-02. [69252]
Mr. Dewar [holding answer 4 February 1999]: Information on overseas travel in The Scottish Office is not held separately and cannot be disaggregated from total expenditure on travel without disproportionate costs in staff time. Overseas travel for future years is not estimated separately.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Tacis (Unpaid Invoices)
Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received about problems caused to United Kingdom companies by unpaid invoices to the EU for work undertaken as part of the Tacis Programmes; and what initiatives she is taking to resolve these problems. [70094]
Mr. Foulkes:
Late payment of Tacis invoices is a serious problem for UK companies, which the Government are working to help solve.
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My department maintains a regular dialogue with the British Consultants Bureau (BCB) on this subject. I met BCB representatives at the end of last year. The Chief Executive of the Association of Consulting Engineers wrote to me about the issue two weeks ago. Individual companies have also contacted my department, the DTI and the FCO.
Ministers and senior officials raised the issue with the European Commission on numerous occasions in the latter part of last year. We have received some indications that the overall situation has since started to improve. This is a Commission management issue, and immediate improvements in efficiency should be possible. In the longer term the Government are supporting the Commission's plan to bring forward a harmonised contracting regulation simplifying procedures for all external aid programmes, and pressing for reform to the EC Financial Regulation, which sets out procedures for the payment of invoices which are unduly onerous in some cases. We will continue to monitor this situation closely.
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will publish her Department's collation and assessment of responses to each of the Government's public consultations. [69766]
Clare Short:
My Department held for the first time last year a series of Development Policy Forums, with wide participation from outside groups across the UK. We are about to publish a report on the process as we promised. This will include consolidated comments and recommendations from participants and a Departmental response.
We have also consulted widely in preparing all our Country and other Strategy Papers, which set out how we aim to contribute to achieving the International Development Targets through our work with partnership countries and international institutions. All these papers have been or are being published--18 have been published to date--and include a record of the individual consultation processes. Country strategy papers have not previously been published by the predecessor department.
Additionally, we have undertaken a review of our relationship with Civil Society, involving discussion with a broad range of groups in the UK and overseas. A copy of the report of the process is about to be sent to all who contributed as well as being made available more widely.
Mr. Andy King:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid her Department currently gives to help developing countries combat TB. [70169]
Clare Short:
TB accounts for a significant proportion of the global burden of disease, particularly amongst the poorest. Its control is a crucial component of the Department for International Development's (DFID) health strategy. Over the last two years, DFID has programmed nearly £26 million directly for TB work. This has been primarily at country level to establish well functioning Directly Observed Treatment Shortcourse (DOTS) programmes and to develop the contribution of
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the private and voluntary sectors to TB prevention and treatment. Priority countries include India (where a commitment of £20.5 million was made in 1998), Malawi, Russia, Nepal and Uganda. DFID has contributed £1 million to the World Health Organisation Global TB programme, and funded approximately £1.5 million of UK research.
Audrey Wise:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid is given by the European Union to Western Sahara; and what is the cost to the United Kingdom's European Union budget contribution. [69900]
Clare Short:
The European Union plans to spend 10 million euro from July to December 1999 on humanitarian aid to Saharawi refugees. The exact UK share of EU spending is determined retrospectively but the estimated forecast UK share will be approximately 1.97 million euro, or £1.46 million.
Audrey Wise:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her estimate of the cost to the United Kingdom's European Union budget contribution of European Union aid given to Morocco in the last year. [69899]
Clare Short:
In 1997, the latest year for which figures are available, the cost was £18.37 million.
Q13. Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the letter from his private secretary of 20 January, to the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, what discussions he has held with the UN on the impact of military action under Operation Desert Fox on the humanitarian situation. [68684]
The Prime Minister:
As my Private Secretary said in his letter of 20 January, the UN, in a briefing to the Secretary Council on 14 January, confirmed that the impact of Operation Desert Fox on the humanitarian situation was limited.
On 30 January the Security Council agreed to the establishment of 3 Panels to discuss Iraq issues. One of these will address the humanitarian situation in Iraq. We hope that the Government of Iraq co-operates with the UN's humanitarian work.
Mr. Breed:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 10 February. [68689]
The Prime Minister:
This morning I had meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will have further such meetings later today.
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Mr. Fabian Hamilton:
To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made in the appointment of a new Commissioner for Public Appointments. [70769]
The Prime Minister:
Her Majesty in Council has today approved the appointment of Dame Rennie Fritchie as Sir Len Peach's successor as Commissioner for Public Appointments. Dame Rennie, who will also be appointed as a Civil Service Commissioner, will take up office from 1 March 1999.
Sir Len Peach will continue to serve as Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland. I am sure that all Members of the House would wish me to express their appreciation for the manner in which Sir Len has carried out his responsibilities over the past three years. He has made a major contribution to raising standards in public appointments.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the flights taken by (a) himself and (b) other ministers on Concorde since 2 May 1997. [67984]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 1 February 1999]: The Ministerial Code requires Ministers to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
In line with this guidance and the practice of the previous Administration, I and 8 of my Ministers have taken scheduled Concorde flights on a total of 14 occasions. This compares with 11 Ministers on a total of 13 occasions during the last two years of the previous Administration.
In addition, as accounted for in answers to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Mr. Flight) on 14 July 1997, Official Report, column 46, and the hon. Member for Lichfield (Mr. Fabricant) on 13 March 1998, Official Report, columns 366-67, I have also chartered Concorde, as did my predecessor.
Mr. Illsley:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list Government expenditure on ministerial overseas visits at current prices (a) for the financial years (i) 1993-94, (ii) 1994-95, (iii) 1995-96 and (iv) 1996-97 and (b) over the period (1) 1 May 1997 to 31 March 1998 and (2) from 1 April 1998 to date. [70189]
The Prime Minister:
Expenditure on Ministerial overseas visits for the periods requested is estimated as follows:
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 6.5 |
| 1994-95 | 6.6 |
| 1995-96 | 6.9 |
| 1996-97 | 7.8 |
| 1 May 1997-31 March 1998 | 6.1 |
| 1 April-31 December 1998 | 4.0 |
The figures for 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96 do not include some expenditure falling to the Scottish Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Welsh Office where the information is not available. Full costs are available from
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1996-97 onwards. All figures are in 1997-98 prices. The figure for the period 1 April to 31 December 1998 reflects payments made so far for travel undertaken in this period.
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