| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Verulamium
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action his Department is taking to safeguard archaeological remains at Verulamium; what plans English Heritage has to secure a management agreement for the site; and if he will make a statement. [89405]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 2 July 1999]: The site is protected as Scheduled Ancient Monument. English Heritage has commissioned a detailed survey which should provide the basis for discussions with the owners about implementing a new management plan for the site.
6 Jul 1999 : Column: 461
Select Committees
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the President of the Council if she will propose the appointment of a select committee on young people and sport. [88499]
Mrs. Beckett: I have no plans to do so. Whilst the area is an important one, both the Culture, Media and Sport and the Education and Employment Committees are able to conduct inquiries into it.
Special Advisers
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the President of the Council if she will list the subject and date of each written briefing prepared by her special advisers for all Labour Members since May 1997 and the total number and total cost to date of these. [89997]
Mrs. Beckett: Special Advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers. Schedule 1, Part 1 of the Model Contract sets out the role and duties of Special Advisers. As well as research for Ministers and reviewing papers, contributing to policy planning within the Department and preparing policy papers, speech writing and liaison with outside interest groups, their role explicitly includes liaising with the Party and helping to brief Party MPs. Records are not held of when such briefings are given. Similar arrangements have applied under successive Governments.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Kosovo
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department has funded non-Governmental organisations which have supplied out-of-date medicines to Kosovo. [89999]
Clare Short: We adhere to the World Health Organisation Guidelines on the donation of drugs, which require pharmaceutical donations to have a minimum of a year's shelf life and be provided against strict need assessment criteria. We have funded the provision of essential drugs in response to the Kosovar refugee crisis through the World Health Organisation itself and through reputable operational agencies which follow the guidelines.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what data her Department has collated on possible breaches of regulations in respect of the supply of out-of-date medicines to Kosovo by British based non-Governmental organisations in the past three months. [90000]
- Clare Short: The World Health Organisation leads on the collation of data with respect to the international guidelines for the donation of drugs. They have recently reported that up to 65 per cent. of drugs donated to Albania in May have a shelf life of less than a year. Over 100 non-governmental organisations, including British based NGOs, have been active in Albania as a result of the Kosovo crisis. It is likely that many of these are not aware of, or choose not to adhere to, the WHO guidelines. We provide funding for drugs only to NGOs who adhere to the guidelines.
6 Jul 1999 : Column: 462
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will hold an inquiry into the supply to Kosovar Albanians of obsolete medical supplies by non-Governmental organisations. [90001]
Clare Short: The World Health Organisation, the lead agency for medical supplies and assistance, have recently audited the provision of drugs to Albania during the refugee crisis. The results of the audit have been widely circulated. We have already made it clear that we will only fund the provision of essential drugs in response to assessed need in Kosovo and elsewhere, in line with the standards published by WHO.
European Development Fund Committee
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the voting allocations given to the members of the European Development Fund Committee. [89372]
Clare Short: Within the European Development Fund (EDF) Committee, the votes of the member states are weighted as follows:
| Member state | Votes |
|---|---|
| Austria | 6 |
| Belgium | 9 |
| Denmark | 5 |
| Finland | 4 |
| France | 52 |
| Germany | 50 |
| Greece | 4 |
| Iceland | 2 |
| Italy | 27 |
| Luxembourg | 1 |
| Netherlands | 12 |
| Portugal | 3 |
| Spain | 13 |
| Sweden | 6 |
| United Kingdom | 27 |
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's policy is on the proposed European Development Fund grant to support the Rehabilitation of Roads in Cameroon (PERFED II); and what discussions her officials have had on this proposal with other members of the European Development Fund Committee. [89373]
Clare Short: We support the maintenance of roads in the Cameroon. Improved rural roads can bring considerable benefits to the poorest, particularly those living in isolated rural communities. My officials are examining the European Development Fund project proposal to ensure that it meets our concerns over consultation, social and environmental impacts and capacity for ongoing maintenance. My officials have been in contact with the German Development Ministry (BMZ), who are the lead bilateral donors to the transport sector in the Cameroon. Their view is similar to ours.
Special Advisers
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates Special Advisers from her Department have travelled abroad on official business since 2 May 1997; which countries were visited on each occasion; and what were the names of the Special Advisers who travelled on each occasion. [88437]
6 Jul 1999 : Column: 463
Clare Short
[holding answer 30 June 1999]: For the period 2 May 1997 to 5 July 1999, Special Advisers in my Department have travelled overseas in an official capacity on 16 occasions to a variety of locations. The total cost of travel and accommodation was £33,285.00. All travel complied with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the subject and date of each written briefing prepared by her special advisers for all Labour Members since May 1997 and the total number and total cost to date of these. [89979]
Clare Short:
Special Advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers. Schedule 1, Part 1 of the Model Contract sets out the role and duties of Special Advisers. As well as research for Ministers and reviewing papers, contributing to policy planning within the Department and preparing policy papers, speechwriting and liaison with outside interest groups, their role explicitly includes liaising with the Party and helping to brief Party MPs. Records are not held of when such briefings are given. Similar arrangements have applied under successive Governments.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the title and purpose of each item of market and opinion research commissioned by or through her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, stating in each case whether the results were published. [89685]
Clare Short:
There are two relevant pieces of research:
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of statutory instruments introduced by her Department into Parliament in 1998 had the European Union as their legislative source. [89164]
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid is being delivered to the people of the Nuba Mountains region in Sudan. [89521]
Clare Short:
UN and non-governmental organisations are delivering assistance to Government of Sudan controlled areas of the Nuba Mountains. They are also delivering more limited relief aid to Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army (SPLA) held areas, where access is a serious constraint.
A UN mission visited the Nuba Mountains region, including some SPLA controlled areas, from 21 to 26 June. The team's conclusion was that although there is no evidence of widespread famine, there is malnutrition
6 Jul 1999 : Column: 464
among children and displaced people, and significant needs for water, health and basic education. The UN is negotiating with the parties to the conflict for improved access for relief supplies.
a report was produced in October 1997 by Opinion Leader Research to explore public attitudes to international development issues. This was published on the Department for International Development (DFID) website;
in June 1999 a readership survey was carried out in relation to "Developments", a magazine produced by DFID to raise awareness of development issues. The results of this are still being analysed and have not been published.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |