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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Departmental Secondments
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff were seconded from the private sector to her Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded. [109069]
Clare Short:
Secondments and attachments are part of the Interchange Initiative which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy are
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involved: Voluntary, Education, Health, Public and Private. Interchange is a key component of the reform agenda. The Modernising Government White Paper committed us to increasing interchange, in particular by bringing in more people on secondment and sending more of our people out.
During the respective periods, the numbers of staff seconded to my Department from the private sector, all from NRI/University of Greenwich, were:
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what child care provision was made available in the financial year 1998-99 for use by (a) departmental staff and (b) employees of executive agencies under the control of her Department; what was the cost to parents of this child care; and how many parents used the facilities. [108859]
Clare Short:
We provide holiday playschemes at both our Headquarter sites.
The site in East Kilbride operates under partnership between DFID and the Inland Revenue. The site in London is part of the Whitehall Holiday Playscheme, run by the Cabinet Office at three sites in Central London and open to a large proportion of Government Departments.
The figures requested are as follows:
The Department for International Development has no executive agencies.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made concerning the use of the oil revenue from the Sudanese oil fields being used for development projects. [108799]
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Clare Short:
Oil was first exported from Sudan in August 1999 and the Government of Sudan has a 5 per cent. stake. We have pressed for revenues to be used for development projects and for transparency in the oil account. The Government of Sudan has made public assurances that this will happen. We look to them to honour them. But the key issue for Sudan's development is the ongoing civil war. We are encouraging all sides to play a constructive part in current peace talks.
Mrs. Ray Michie:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received concerning the Dervish anti-personnel land mines clearance project. [108617]
Clare Short:
In December 1999, we invited proposals for UK based institutions and individuals for consideration under the Humanitarian Mine Action Knowledge Generation and Research Programme. The University of Edinburgh's Department of Mechanical Engineering submitted an application entitled 'Extending Dervish Mine Detonating Vehicle Capability'. All bidders will be assessed later this month.
Mrs. Ray Michie:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effectiveness of methods currently in use for anti-personnel land mines clearance. [108619]
Clare Short:
(a) My Department is funding, at the request of the United Nations, a study which will examine the effectiveness and suitability of existing capabilities in current mine action programmes. We are also funding a review and revision of international mine clearance standards.
(b) We participate in international fora which aim to improve the effectiveness of international mine action. Projects funded bilaterally by DFID are assessed and monitored for effectiveness and safety of methodology and for community benefit.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to increase the application of the Know-how Fund to Estonia. [108581]
Clare Short:
1. Our plans for technical assistance to Estonia are set out in the published Baltic States Country Strategy Paper (CSP), which covers Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. A copy of the CSP has been placed in the Library of the House.
2. The strategy focuses on:
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Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in meeting the target of (a) 75 per cent. of bilateral country programme resources being allocated to low income countries by 2002, (b) reducing under-6 mortality rates to no higher than 70 per 1,000 live births by 2002 and (c) reducing maternal mortality rates to no higher than 240 per 100,000 live births by 2002. [109192]
Clare Short:
Substantial progress has been made towards achieving these targets. By 1998-99 our expenditure in low income countries had increased to 71 per cent., and is expected to rise to 75 per cent. in 1999-2000. The average under-5 mortality rate across the top 30 recipients of DFID assistance has fallen to 69 per 1,000 births, and the average maternal mortality rate across the same countries has declined to 316 per 100,000 live births.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the progress made towards meeting the target of 75 per cent. of projects assessed as likely to fully or largely achieve their objectives by 2002. [109200]
Clare Short:
We are well on track towards achieving this target. Of all the projects assessed in 1997 and 1998, over 74 per cent. had fully or largely achieved their objectives. Information is not yet available on results for 1999.
17. Ms Christine Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his proposals to streamline the home buying and selling process. [107323]
Mr. Mullin:
On 11 October last year we announced our intention to take forward a package of complementary measures aimed at making the home buying and selling process in England and Wales faster, more transparent and consumer-friendly. The package is based on extensive research and consultation, and requires action by everyone involved in home buying and selling.
18. Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has had from local councils which wish to retain the committee system. [107324]
Ms Armstrong:
We receive many representations from councils about all aspects of the modernisation agenda.
19. Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans
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he has to address the concerns of people living in rural areas about the impact of his Department's transport policies. [107325]
Mr. Mullin:
My Department's transport policies are tackling the impact of decades of underinvestment and neglect for transport in both rural and urban areas. Most of the proposals in the Integrated Transport White Paper apply to rural areas just as much as other areas of the country. But we recognise that people living in rural areas have particular needs. That is why we have made available an additional £170 million for rural transport measures over the three years to March 2001.
26. Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to improve rural transport. [107332]
Mr. Mullin:
Most of the proposals in the Integrated Transport White Paper apply to rural areas just as much as other areas of the country. But we recognise that people living in rural areas have particular needs. That is why we have made available an additional £170 million pounds for rural transport measures over the three years to March 2001.
(a) 3
(b) 4
(c) 1.
Providing access to the holiday playscheme is one of a range of family friendly policies that are available to staff. Other benefits include paid maternity leave at full pay, paternity leave, parental leave, extended career breaks (up to a maximum of five years) and special leave for domestic emergencies. To help staff balance work and family life, they are also able to apply to work part-time or flexible hours, to job-share or to work from home.
East Kilbride
Cost to parents:
£10 annual registration fee per family
£7.50 per child per day
Parents using the facilities in the financial year 1998-99:
Number--10
London
Cost to parents:
Total cost per child per day £17.03
Of which: £8.51 is paid by the parent and £8.52 by DFID
Parents using the facilities in the financial year 1998-99
Number--16.
3. We are working closely with other donors, notably the EC Phare programme in all three of the above priority areas.
i. Strengthening capacity in strategic planning and project design in environment, enabling effective take-up of both domestic and donor funding.
ii. Strengthening capacity in strategic participatory planning for regional and rural development.
iii. Effective public administration, underpinning sound policy development and service delivery to all sections of the population.
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