| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Japan
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will set out the responsibilities of the Crown Agents in respect of the administration of (i) debt relief grants and (ii) other aid matters on behalf of the Japanese Government; and if she will make a statement. [72577]
Clare Short: Ownership of the Crown Agents transferred from Her Majesty's Government to an independent Foundation in March 1997. The hon. Gentleman may wish to pursue this matter with the Foundation.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) reviews, (b) task forces and (c) advisory groups have been established by her Department since 1 May 1997; what costs they have incurred to date; and what reports they have published. [71516]
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 14
Clare Short
[holding answer 16 February 1999]: Since 1 May 1997 the Department for International Development (DFID) has undertaken a review of international development policy, and a review of DFID's relationship with Civil Society. The review of international development policy led to the publication of the White Paper on International Development in November 1997. A report of the consultation which DFID conducted with Civil Society, North and South, will be published shortly. Key conclusions were set out in my speech on 'NGOs in a Global Future' on 13 January at Birmingham University. The costs incurred for these reviews are not separately identified, add little to the normal running costs of the department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Department has also set up the Development Awareness Working Group. Expenditure of this advisory group is, to date, £10,500. Preparatory documents, minutes of the meetings, and a report commissioned on "Learning from Others" are all available on the DFID website.
No task forces have been established.
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 15
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in her Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. [70770]
Clare Short:
I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 15 February 1999, Official Report, columns 569-70. My Department has had no such cases within the last five years.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the amounts of British aid to Zimbabwe for each of the last 10 years, the projects for which it has been assigned and the conditions attached to it. [70588]
Clare Short:
Total Overseas Development Administration (ODA) and the Department for International Development (DFID) aid to Zimbabwe in each of the last 10 years was:
| Year | £000 |
|---|---|
| 1987-88 | 11,708 |
| 1988-89 | 15,278 |
| 1989-90 | 13,373 |
| 1990-91 | 28,937 |
| 1991-92 | 36,682 |
| 1992-93 | 39,172 |
| 1993-94 | 24,560 |
| 1994-95 | 27,343 |
| 1995-96 | 14,804 |
| 1996-97 | 11,057 |
| 1997-98 | 12,215 |
ODA and DFID funded 170 projects (including Joint Funding Scheme projects cofinanced with British NGOs) in the last 10 years over the value of £100,000. I will place a list in the Library of the House.
Specific conditions are not attached to country programmes. Individual projects are appraised and funded in the context of agreed country strategies and may have specific conditions attached, to ensure the project will be effective and sustainable.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list (a) those units in his Department and (b) the number of departmental staff which are concerned with preparing rebuttals of allegations in the media; and what is (i) the total cost of their work, including salaries, and (ii) the number of rebuttals issued since May 1997. [71848]
Clare Short:
In common with other Departments, the work of press officers in my Department includes responding to any misinformed allegations concerning
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 16
Government policy or activity which are published in the media. They are supported in this work by other officials as necessary.
Because this is a routine part of a Department's work and it is not separately recorded from other tasks, to provide the further information required would involve disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Butler:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made within the EU on the introduction of the Zina Law in Pakistan. [72511]
Clare Short:
I have not made such representations. The Zina Law is one of five laws introduced as part of the Huddood Ordinances in 1979. The implications of the proposed 15th Constitutional Amendment are not yet clear, but it is likely that it would extend the coverage of Islamic Law in Pakistan. This Amendment still has to be passed by the Senate, for which a two-thirds majority is required. We will continue to monitor developments. More generally, the Government regularly raise their concerns with the Pakistani authorities about human rights and particularly the rights of women and girls issues; and we shall continue to do so.
Mrs. Butler:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what regard she has taken of the Zina Law's effect on Pakistan's human rights record when deciding the level of bilateral aid for that country from the UK. [72510]
Clare Short:
The Zina Law is part of the Huddood Ordinance which has proved controversial in Pakistan since its introduction in 1979. Our development co-operation with Pakistan is clearly focused on reducing poverty, and takes careful account of human rights factors. We are working with the Government of Pakistan and other partners to make gender considerations an integral part of the development policy and planning; and we provide direct support for human rights and women's groups concerned with gender equity issues.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the total number of staff (a) in her Department and (b) in each of the agencies for which she is responsible and their location in (i) London, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) each of the English regions. [70476]
Clare Short:
The information is as follows. Including contract and other staff who are not classified as civil servants, my Department employs 1,656 staff located as follows:
| Location | Staff |
|---|---|
| (i) London | 755 |
| (ii) Wales | 0 |
| (iii) Scotland | 414 |
| (iv) English Regions | 0 |
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 17
My Department has no agencies.
CHURCH COMMISSIONERS
Rental Income
38. Mr. Flynn: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, how much income has been received in rents from land owned by the commission in each of the last 10 years. [70529]
Mr. Stuart Bell: I have arranged for this information to be placed in the House of Commons Library.
In order to assist my hon. Friend, however, he should note that, while the rental income figures for 1998 have not yet been finalised, for the previous 10 years the income amounted to £647.3m.
Clergy (Stipends)
41. Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the commissioners have taken to ensure that the initial stipend is sufficient to attract new entrants to the clergy. [70532]
Mr. Stuart Bell: Clergy stipend recommendations are no longer made by the Church Commissioners, and their functions as Central Stipends Authority have been transferred by the Ministry Division of the Archbishops' Council from 1 January this year. The Central Stipends Authority gives very careful consideration to the question of stipend adequacy, including consultations with dioceses about stipend levels, and measuring the disposable income of clergy with that of other professions. A detailed review of stipend adequacy was last carried out in 1991/92, and it is likely that a further review will take place later this year.
The number of candidates recommended for ordination in 1998 was 343, an increase of 5.6 per cent. on the previous year. This would clearly suggest that the level of stipend is not deterring candidates for ordination.
Redundant Churches
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the number of redundant churches that the Church Commissioners have become responsible for in the last 3 years; and what the cost to them has been in each of the last 3 years. [70530]
Mr. Stuart Bell:
In the 3 years to 31 December 1998, 96 churches have been declared redundant and the Commissioners have become involved in settling their future. In the same period the Commissioners have vested 15 redundant churches in the Churches Conservation Trust for preservation. The Trust now maintains 317 such churches and the Commissioners provide 30 per cent. of their costs, or about £1.07m in each of the Trust's last 3 financial years.
22 Feb 1999 : Column: 18
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |