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GDP-Aid Ratio
21. Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she estimates that the internationally agreed target for a proportion of gross domestic product to be spent on humanitarian aid will be reached by the United Kingdom. [73851]
Clare Short: As we pledged, we have reversed the decline in development spending which continued throughout the life of the previous administration. The oda/GNP ratio for 1997 was 0.26 per cent. The Comprehensive Spending Review announced a significant increase of £1.6 billion in development spending which will increase the oda/GNP ratio to an estimated 0.30 per cent. by 2001. We have not set a target date for reaching 0.7 per cent.
Lome Agreement
22. Mr. Hope:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with EU and ACP ministers on the successor to the current Lome agreement. [73852]
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Clare Short:
I met Commissioner Pinheiro and ACP and EU Ministers in Dakar on 8-9 February for the first substantive Ministerial discussion of successor arrangements to the Lome Convention. The meeting made good progress. There was a consensus on the main objectives of the next Convention and, although the ACP were not ready to accept the inclusion of good governance as a new essential element, they agreed to work on reaching a common definition of the concept. There was a large measure of agreement on development strategies, providing support for private sector development and the need to rationalise the existing instruments and improve aid management procedures. Progress was more limited on the future of support for short term fluctuations in earnings from basic products. The EU proposed updated, more flexible and more effective arrangements for helping countries where economic and wider reforms were jeopardised from such fluctuations, but the ACP continue to favour the retention of current arrangements. I participated in the discussion on trade and economic co-operation, the area of greatest divergence between the ACP and EU positions. I put the case for alternatives to the Commission's favoured regional free trade option. This was taken up by the ACP and reflected in the final report.
23. Mrs. Ann Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to visit the Island of St. Helena to discuss ways of improving the standard of living of islanders. [73853]
Clare Short:
I have no plans to visit St. Helena. The framework for the island's development over the period 1997/98-1999/2000, and the level and scope of HMG development assistance, is set out in the Country Policy Plan agreed by HMG and the St. Helena Government in 1997. A new CPP, for the period 2000/01-2003/04, is scheduled to be agreed by the end of 1999.
24. Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to review the assistance programme for Caribbean states. [73854]
Clare Short:
Documents outlining our strategies for the next three years will be published in the course of this year and early next year. The strategies are being prepared in consultation with a wide variety of local and other stakeholders.
25. Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on aid to Zimbabwe. [73855]
Clare Short:
A Country Strategy Paper for Zimbabwe will be published shortly. The strategy will focus on reducing poverty in Zimbabwe in line with the objectives of the White Paper "Eliminating World Poverty". Copies--like all our Country Strategies--will be placed in the Library of the House.
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26. Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's conflict-reduction strategy. [73856]
Clare Short:
My Department's conflict reduction strategy is set out in our Policy Statement on Conflict Reduction and Humanitarian Assistance. A copy is available in the Library of the House.
27. Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the contribution made by private investment in supporting overseas aid projects. [73857]
Clare Short:
Private investment can bring substantial economic benefits to developing countries; partnership with business can therefore support development assistance projects overseas, and help promote the achievement of the International Development Goals. We have established a new Business Partnership Unit in the Department and have instituted new arrangements to consult the private sector when drawing up our country strategies.
28. Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to improve the effectiveness of its response to humanitarian emergencies; and if she will make a statement. [73858]
Clare Short:
We have recently published a Policy Statement outlining our strategies for conflict reduction and humanitarian assistance. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Following a disaster, most lives are saved by immediate local effort. We are giving priority to building up the disaster response capacity of communities and institutions in disaster-prone poor countries. We also look first to agencies that are well established in the country and have the local knowledge and expertise to deliver assistance most quickly and effectively. It is important that we not only save lives and relieve suffering following a humanitarian crisis but also reduce risks and vulnerability to future crises. Therefore, we are assisting disaster-prone countries to include risk reduction, disaster management and mitigation in their development planning process and supporting community initiatives to reduce their vulnerability to risks. This includes analysing common hazards and their impact on poor people, and assessing the effect of recurrent crises on achieving the targets of sustainable international development.
Much of my Department's humanitarian response is channelled through the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the United Nations humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organisations. We are working closely with these agencies to strengthen international systems for dealing with humanitarian crises, particularly to improve response capacity and accountability, and the development of common standards for technical performance and reporting. We are also
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promoting better co-ordination within the European Union, especially through the European Community Humanitarian Office.
Mr. Cash:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the target set of reducing the debts of the poorest countries by £50 billion. [73920]
Clare Short:
The Government are committed to the international development targets, which include halving the proportion of people living in absolute poverty by 2015. For the poorest, most indebted countries, who are similarly committed to poverty eradication, faster and deeper debt relief is required to enable them to invest sufficient resources in poverty reduction programmes to meet these targets. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and I have therefore challenged the international community to increase debt relief and increase aid flows to poor countries. Our objective over the coming months is to get agreement to cancel $50 billion of debt and to increase development assistance to $60 billion by the year 2000.
Mr. David Stewart:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Government are taking to raise public awareness of ethically and fairly traded products. [75233]
Clare Short:
Both I and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State have spoken at a number of public events aimed at raising awareness of ethical and fair trade. DFID also supports the Ethical Trading Initiative, whose work includes promoting positive engagement between UK importers and developing country suppliers. We are also supporting, through our development awareness funding, a range of activities which are designed to raise public awareness in this area.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if (a) she, (b) civil servants in her Department or (c) special advisers in her Department have (i) had sight of drafts of select committee reports, in whole or in part, or (ii) been informed of conclusions of select committee reports prior to their publication by the select committees. [75880]
Clare Short:
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Mr. Wilshire) on 1 March 1999, Official Report, column 531. There have been no instances of members of select committees giving me, or my ministerial colleagues, drafts or select committee reports, or of parts of reports including their conclusions, before publication. Nor, to the best of my knowledge have there been any occasions on which members of select committees have given such material to civil servants or special advisers in my Department. This excludes embargoed copies of reports issued under House of Commons Standing Orders.
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