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PRIME MINISTER
Austria
Q14. Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy on the inclusion of the Freedom Party in the Government of Austria. [108949]
The Prime Minister: We made clear our concern at the inclusion of the Freedom Party in the Austrian Government. We have welcomed the fact that the new Austrian Government has committed itself to abiding by the common obligations and values of EU membership, but we will be judging it by its future actions.
NHS Beds (Oxfordshire)
Q16. Dr. Harris: To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy on providing NHS beds to patients in Oxfordshire. [108951]
The Prime Minister: It is the responsibility of individual health authorities to determine the most appropriate balance of health services locally, including the range and number of beds available to the local community.
The hon. Member will be aware that the report of the Government's National Beds Inquiry was published for consultation last week. The facts revealed by the report support our plans to build a new bridge of NHS care for older people between hospital and home and will support the first national strategy for providing NHS beds in 30 years.
The conclusions of the report underline the need for us to consider a variety of forms of care, from acute to community provision, depending on the circumstances. Some services will be provided in a large hospital, some in community hospitals and some will be via improved care services in the home.
Q18. Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what account Her Majesty's Government have taken of the representations of (a) Denis Halliday, (b) Hans von Sponeck and (c) other senior officials of UN Agencies in relation to UN sanctions in relation to child nutrition and mortality in Iraq. [108953]
The Prime Minister:
The Government are very concerned about reports of child morality rates and malnutrition in Iraq. We continue to support efforts to target the humanitarian effort there towards the most vulnerable.
Meanwhile, UN Security Council Resolution 1284, which was drafted and piloted through the Council by the UK, includes a raft of measures providing for an increased and improved "oil for food" programme. It also calls on
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the Government of Iraq to prioritise its spending under "oil for food" more effectively and to address the needs of vulnerable groups.
If the Iraqi Government had chosen to prioritise properly the humanitarian assistance which has been made available since the start of "oil for food" in 1996, the suffering of the Iraqi people would have been hugely reduced.
Mr. Prior:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 16 February. [108947]
The Prime Minister:
This morning I had meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will have further such meetings later today.
Sir Peter Tapsell:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 16 February. [109970]
The Prime Minister:
This morning I had meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will have further such meetings later today.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what account the Government have taken of the representations of (a) Denis Halliday, (b) Hans von Sponeck and (c) other senior officials of UN agencies in relation to (i) aggravated water shortage in Turkey and (ii) US and UK bombing and the effect on child mortality in Iraq. [108790]
The Prime Minister:
We are not aware of any representations by UN officials regarding "aggravated water shortage in Turkey".
All actions by UK and US forces in the No Fly Zones are in response to Iraqi threats and are made in self-defence, as is their right under international law. Our forces make every effort to avoid civilian casualties. Iraqi claims to the contrary should be treated with caution. The Government of Iraq has, for example, previously blamed coalition aircraft for civilian casualties on days when no aircraft were patrolling the No Fly Zones.
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the voting system for local government, with particular reference to proportional representation. [110334]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 15 February 2000]: We have consistently made clear that we do not propose to change the local government voting system, other than the introduction of the Supplementary Vote system for the election of directly elected mayors. The Local Government Bill now in the House of Lords makes provision for these mayors.
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Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her Department's advertising budget for (a) 1999-00 and (b) 2000-01. [110252]
Mr. Foulkes:
DFID does not have a specific advertising budget. However, paid advertising in relation to recruitment currently costs around £1 million annually.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what was the average cost of issuing a media release from her Department in 1999. [110266]
Mr. Foulkes:
Our Department issued 89 media releases in 1999 at a total cost of £10,350. The average cost for issuing a press release was £116.29.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects and their costs in the reconstruction programme for East Timor. [108904]
Clare Short:
At a multi-donor meeting on East Timor in Tokyo in December last year, the UK worked successfully for an international collaborative approach to East Timor. The UN Transitional Administration (UNTAET) and East Timorese representatives will set priorities for reconstruction and the transition to independence; the World Bank and Asian Development Bank will co-ordinate detailed analysis of needs; and donors will operate in this framework working jointly wherever possible. Often a sector-based, programmatic approach will be followed rather than one based on a plethora of small projects.
Donors pledged a total of $522 million for East Timor at the Tokyo meeting. The UK will provide £13 million over three years, the bulk of it channelled through Trust Funds established by the World Bank and the UN. This is in addition to £5.5 million which we made available in the immediate aftermath of the crisis in East Timor which has supported the humanitarian work of a number of international organisations and NGOs, and has helped restore the power supply in Dili.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in north and east Sri Lanka. [109517]
Clare Short:
The humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka remains difficult as a result of the ongoing conflict. Further displacements occur each time the conflict escalates. Officials from my Department continue to monitor the situation closely. We fund a number of agencies (including Oxfam, Save the Children Fund, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Children's Fund) who have well-established programmes providing relief and rehabilitation for those displaced by the conflict.
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Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the (a) number and (b) value of contracts let by her Department since May 1997 to external consultants and advisers for the management of competitive tendering processes. [109300]
Mr. Foulkes:
Since May 1997, our Departments has not used external consultants or advisers for the management of competitive tendering processes.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list for the financial year 1998-99 the number and total value of contracts let by her Department with external consultants and advisers that have (a) been put out to competitive tender, (b) not been put out to competitive tender and (c) been let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work. [109067]
Mr. Foulkes
[holding answer 8 February 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development gave him on 24 November 1999, Official Report, column 132W. Our Department's spend on external consultants and advisers in 1998-99 was £1.83 million. Ten contracts with a value of £926,154 were awarded after competitions. The remaining 24 contracts, with a value of £903,846, were awarded without competition. There were no contracts awarded on a non-commercial basis.
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