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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Education (Asia)
6. Mr. St. Aubyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's support for education initiatives in Asia. [111178]
Clare Short: The Government are working to strengthen the international effort to meet the International Development target of achieving universal primary education by 2015 and gender equality in primary and secondary schooling by 2005. To meet targets we must make greater progress in Asia where 50 million children are still out of school. The UK has major projects working to improve state systems in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal and we are working hard to try to ensure that the UN led Conference in Dakar on 26-27 April drives forward progress in meeting the 2015 target across the world.
Globalisation White Paper
7. Mr. Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what consultations she intends to carry out prior to the publication of the White Paper on Globalisation. [111179]
Clare Short: We will consult widely as part of the preparation of the White Paper on Globalisation and Development. We will provide an outline of the White Paper and establish a website containing the outline. We will invite submissions widely from individuals and organisations in the UK and from developing countries and international organisations.
World Bank Development Report
8. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been the response of her Department to the World bank development report 2000-01 consultation draft, "Attacking Poverty", with particular reference to population issues. [111180]
Clare Short:
I welcome the draft World Development Report and I welcome the fact that for the first time the World bank has put it out for wide consultation on the internet before publication in September. My Department has fed in detailed research to the report team, including a major study of the views of the poor across the world. We alongside others have suggested that the contribution of demographic change to economic growth should receive greater attention within the report.
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9. Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on health services in Kosovo. [111181]
Mr. Foulkes:
Medical services in Kosovo suffer from 10 years of neglect and poor maintenance, the dismissal of Albanian Kosovars from health administration and from the aftermath of the conflict. Our immediate priority is to ensure that access to urgent medical assistance is widely available. The UK is taking the lead in essential services at Pristina University Hospital under a neutral international management team, and is supporting primary health care provision for some 800,000 people. We are working closely with Joint Administration and key donors to develop longer-term sustainable health programmes.
10. Mr. McWalter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress in reforming the EU's development work. [111182]
Clare Short:
I welcome the commitment of the new European Commission to major improvement of the European Union's development programmes. Most of the damaging splits in responsibility within the Commission have been removed, a development policy statement will be tabled this month, and the structure of the European Development Fund was significantly improved during the negotiations on the next Lome convention.
The UK advocated all these changes in the strategy we published over a year ago. But the impact of these measures has not yet been felt on the ground or reflected in the allocation of EC development spending. We will continue to press for much greater effectiveness and efficiency in EC programmes so that the EU plays a more effective role in meeting the international poverty eradication targets.
11. Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what monitoring her Department will carry out of the uses to which funds which are released as a result of debt cancellation are put. [111183]
Clare Short:
The revision to the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative agreed last year requires countries to develop national poverty reduction strategies. Resources arising from debt relief will be spent within this framework. I place great importance on civil society and the international community being able to monitor the implementation and outcomes of these strategies, and I recognise that increased international support will be required to ensure that this takes place. We are devoting additional resources to improve the statistics essential for monitoring progress in HIPC countries, as part of the new Partnership for Statistics for Development in 21st Century initiative, launched in November 1999.
12. Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received relating to UK aid to Zimbabwe; and if she will make a statement. [111184]
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19. Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what non-financial assistance she is giving to Zimbabwe; and if she will make a statement. [111191]
28. Mrs. Ann Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the future of the aid programme to Zimbabwe. [111200]
Clare Short:
Appalling economic management has brought Zimbabwe to a crisis. The International Financial Institutions are urging the Government to take action to improve economic management and focus on the reduction of poverty. We have also made it clear that there is a strong case for land reform and that we would provide support for a programme that was fully transparent and focused on helping poor farmers.
Some 70 per cent. of Zimbabwean households fall below the poverty line. Cutting aid would hurt the people who have suffered most through economic mismanagement. We will continue to work with progressive forces in Zimbabwe, where we judge our aid can be effective.
13. Mr. Ruffley:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received on the reduction of third-world debt. [111185]
Clare Short:
I have discussed debt relief, and the contribution it can make to poverty reduction, on a number of occasions recently ranging from a meeting with the Ugandan High Commissioner to children from Rhyl school. On 21 December, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I hosted a seminar for representatives of the UK faiths and non-governmental organisations to discuss these issues. I continue to receive many letters on debt from members of the public.
14. Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the contribution made by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to international development. [111186]
Clare Short:
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, alongside other UK institutions, is a valued partner in our work to improve the health of the poorest and our efforts to attain the international development targets.
The school has responded to international needs for applied research and training in Malaria, Child Health, Reproductive Health, Filariasis (Elephantiasis), Onchocerciasis (River Blindness), TB and HIV/AIDs, as well as Health Sector Development.
15. Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the progress being made towards eliminating gender inequalities in basic education. [111187]
Clare Short:
In the 10 years since the first Education for All conference in Jomtien considerable progress has been made in spreading support for the education of girls
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in developing countries. Countries themselves are increasingly convinced of the need to include girls and progress is being made. The research evidence is clear that educating girls leads to major development gains as the girls grow up in smaller families, improved child survival and enhanced household income. We are committed to mobilising increased international commitment to the international development targets of universal primary education by 2015 and gender equity in primary and secondary schooling by 2005.
16. Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian assistance Her Majesty's Government plans for Sierra Leone during 2000. [111188]
Clare Short:
Our Programme in Sierra Leone is directed mainly at supporting the peace process and assisting with the preparations for elections in 2001.
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