10 May 1999 : Column: 1
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 10 May 1999
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Sudan
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what data she has collated on the take-up of children's vaccination in Southern Sudan. [83088]
Clare Short: United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF confirm that during two rounds of National Immunisation Days (NIDs) in Sudan in February and March this year, over one million children in Southern Sudan were vaccinated against polio. The next Sudan NIDs are planned to take place in February and March 2000.
Poverty Elimination Programmes
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's plans to link debt relief with poverty elimination programmes. [83297]
Clare Short: We are working to influence the World Bank and the IMF during the comprehensive review of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative to strengthen the linkage between debt relief and poverty eradication. In particular we are stressing the need for HIPC to deliver a greater reduction in the level of service payments in the early years to enable governments to invest sufficient resources in anti-poverty programmes such as health and education and so achieve the International Development Goals.
Debt Relief
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what discussions were held at the recent IMF/World Bank meeting in Washington on debt relief; and if she will make a statement; [83298]
- (2) if she will make a statement on the HIPC Initiative following the IMF/World Bank spring meetings. [83304]
Clare Short:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and I participated in discussing the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative at the Interim Committee meeting of the IMF and at the Development Committee of the World Bank in Washington at the end of April. At both meetings, Ministers gave strong support to providing more debt relief to countries which are committed to eradicating poverty. In discussions on the fundamental review of the HIPC initiative, the Chancellor and I emphasised the need for change, in order that the initiative provides countries with a permanent exit from their debt problems, as it was intended to do. We also stressed the importance of debt relief being provided in
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such a way that it releases resources for governments to invest in key sectors to enable them to achieve the International Development Goals. Phase 2 of the HIPC review will consider how to strengthen this link between debt relief and poverty elimination.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what provision will be included in the Government's proposed debt relief framework for debt (a) service and (b) stock reduction. [83300]
Clare Short:
The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative focuses on reducing the stock of debt, with countries receiving one large cut in their debt which takes effect after many years. We are pressing the international community to agree not only to provide more debt relief to countries who are implementing demonstrably pro-poor policies, but to provide it in a way that enables governments to increase spending on anti-poverty programmes. This points to revising the Initiative so that it takes more account of what governments can afford to pay from their budgets, and delivers greater reductions in debt service paid, especially in the early years.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the long-term reconstruction needs of (a) Albania, (b) Montenegro and (c) Macedonia. [83299]
Clare Short:
We are working with the European Commission, EU Member States and International Financial Institutions to determine the longer term needs of Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro. As the Donors Conference on Macedonia on 5 May indicated, the international community is prepared to provide considerable support based on real needs. Bilaterally we plan to focus on know how and technical support to enable the Governments of the region to increase their capacity to respond to the crisis and absorb international assistance.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the IMF's suitability as the lead organisation in helping poor countries meet the 2015 international development targets. [83301]
Clare Short:
Multilateral organisations including the IMF have a key role to play in helping countries to meet the international development targets. Following last year's review of the IMF's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility, it was agreed that the IMF should take more account of the social impact of their programmes, the quality of government expenditure, and should protect budgets in high priority areas such as health and education. We are encouraging the IMF to work more closely with the World Bank to ensure that, in designing structural adjustment programmes, they take account of the impact on the poor. Following proposals put forward by the UK, the World Bank is developing principles of good practice in social policy, in consultation with the IMF. We envisage that these principles will be
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drawn upon by the World Bank and the IMF in the design of programmes. We continually emphasise the need for the IMF to build support for reforms which lead to economic growth which benefit the poor programmes, through discussion and consultation with civil society.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the current humanitarian situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea. [83302]
Clare Short:
The UN estimate that there are 3,250,000 people in need of humanitarian relief in Ethiopia. 397,000 of whom have been displaced due to the border conflict. In Eritrea 540,000 people need support with 290,000 displaced by the conflict. Main relief requirements are food, shelter, clothing, household items, health care, water and sanitation. Since January 1998 Britain has provided £5.2 million (including our contribution to EU actions) for emergency food and other support to Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the current humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [83303]
Clare Short:
We are continuing to press all parties to the conflict to agree a cease-fire and to reach a negotiated settlement. The signing in April of the Sirte agreement between the DRC, Uganda, Libya, Chad and Eritrea was a welcome step towards a cessation of hostilities, as was the communique issued on 5 May by the leaders of Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda re-affirming their commitment to a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
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Fighting in the country is resulting in continued flows of refugees into neighbouring countries. The conflict and movement of those displaced continues to prevent humanitarian agencies from accessing many of those in need.
The UK is ready to respond to appeals from UN agencies and NGOs. We have so far this year provided over £450,000 bilaterally through humanitarian agencies to support refugee and displaced populations, and other vulnerable groups.
Dr. David Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many applications for information she received under the Open Government: Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in the last parliamentary session; and how many of these applications were granted. [83117]
Clare Short:
In the Parliamentary session October 1997 to July 1998 I received and granted four applications for information under the Open Government Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer on 26 March 1999, Official Report, column 417, how many times Ministers in his Department met their counterparts in the US Government between 1 January 1998 and 1 June 1998; and if he will list the dates and locations of each meeting, the Ministers involved on each occasion and the name of the US counterpart at each meeting. [82227]
| Date | Location | DETR Minister | US Counterpart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 February 1998 | London | John Prescott | Stu Eizenstat (Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs) |
| 16 February 1998 | London | Gavin Strang | Mortimer Downey (Deputy Secretary, US Department of Transportation) |
| 4 April 1998 | Leeds Castle | John Prescott Michael Meacher | Carol Browner (Administrator at the US Environmental Protection Agency) |
| 28 April 1998 | Washington | John Prescott | Rodney Slater (Secretary of Transportation) |
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