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Docking (Military Vessels)

Ms Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Rosyth Dockyard and the Forth Estuary are docking places for the military vessels of the UK's NATO allies. [118644]

Mr. Spellar: MOD no longer owns either docking or berthing facilities in Rosyth. If NATO ships wished to dock in the former Naval Dockyard it would be by arrangement with the relevant commercial company. NATO warships regularly visit Leith and NATO Auxiliary vessels occasionally berth at Defence Munitions Crombie.

Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency

Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency for 2000-01. [119122]

Mr. Spellar: The Key Targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency (AFPAA) for the financial year 2000-01. The Targets build upon progress made by the Agency since it formed on 1 April 1997 and are as follows:

Pay, Allowances and Pensions Payments
While making 100 per cent. of payments of pay, allowances and pensions by the due date, the number of errors per 1,000 payments not to exceed 2.5 for pay and allowances and 2.0 for pensions.
Currency of Personnel Records and Liabilities DATA
Update all time-critical records within two days from receipt of valid input.
Responsiveness
Resolve 93 per cent. of inquiries, including written and official help desk responses, within 10 working days of receipt, across all Services where information and/or authorities is within AFPAA control.
Efficiency
To reduce the average unit costs to deliver AFPAA services by 3 per cent. this year.

12 Apr 2000 : Column: 149W

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Doorkeepers

Angela Smith: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the average number of hours worked per week by full-time House of Commons Doorkeepers when the House is sitting. [118203]

Mr. Kirkwood: During the first three months of this year Doorkeepers have worked an average of 42½ hours in weeks when the House sat.

Parking Facilities

Mr. Sanders: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make it his policy to charge a market rate on Members' parking facilities; and if he will make a statement. [118103]

Mr. Kirkwood: The Commission has no plans at present to introduce a market charge on Members' parking facilities. However, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 will allow the Authority or the London Borough of Westminster to introduce a licensing scheme for parking in the Palace of Westminster, under which they may levy a charge on the two Houses. The Commission will consider the matter if and when either authority makes proposals for a licensing scheme.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

EU-Africa Summit

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with her European counterparts concerning the agenda of the EU-Africa Summit. [118048]

Clare Short: As Presidency of the EU, Portugal was responsible for co-ordinating preparations for the EU-Africa Summit. I discussed the Summit with the Portuguese Minister for Development when I met him on 11 January. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development also attended an informal meeting of EU Development Ministers on 28-29 January where discussion focused on the role of Europe in promoting peace, security, democracy and development in Africa.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement concerning her engagements at the time of the EU-Africa Summit in Cairo. [118051]

Clare Short: During the Africa-Europe Summit in Cairo on 3-4 April 2000, I was engaged in Government business. The UK Government were represented by the Foreign Secretary.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress made on development at the EU-Africa Summit. [118049]

12 Apr 2000 : Column: 150W

Clare Short: The Africa-Europe Summit, Cairo 3-4 April 2000, was the first of its kind. African and European Heads of State and Government sat together to discuss key issues of mutual concern, including development issues.

The major issues brought to the table were debt, integrating Africa into the world economy, conflict prevention, human rights and democracy, and poverty eradication. Discussions were frank and constructive.

Follow-up procedures have been agreed including another summit in Europe in 2003. Meetings of Ministers in between the summits and the establishment of a bi-regional group at the senior official level, to meet regularly, will continue work on the issues discussed. In particular, the bi-regional groups of officials will report to Ministers on Africa's debt and the return of cultural property to its country of origin before the next Summit.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development why she did not attend the EU-Africa summit in Cairo. [118052]

Clare Short: The Foreign Secretary led the UK delegation at the Africa-Europe Summit. He was fully briefed by my Department and supported at senior official level. I did not consider it appropriate or necessary for me to attend the summit. The same view was taken by many of my development Minister colleagues.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what briefing her Department provided for the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs concerning the development aspects of the EU-Africa Summit. [118050]

Clare Short: My Department provided comprehensive briefing on development issues discussed at the Africa- Europe Summit, including regional integration within Africa, transfer of technology, debt, poverty reduction, HIV/AIDS, health and the environment. DFID and other Government Departments worked together to prepare briefs on trade, conflict prevention and human rights. In addition, DFID produced and circulated a press briefing on UK Support to Africa for the Summit, covering key aspects of the UK development programme.

Mongolia

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has for changes in the level of aid to Mongolia. [118043]

Clare Short: Most UK aid to Mongolia will continue to be channelled through multilateral agencies. The UK contributes around £5.7 million per year through these channels and this figure is set to rise slightly over the next two to three years.

We will also continue to offer opportunities for civil society organisations to obtain funding for poverty- focused work in Mongolia. We will continue support (at a slightly decreased level) for the Small Grants Scheme administered by the British Embassy in Ulaanbaatar.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on current British aid to Mongolia. [118046]

12 Apr 2000 : Column: 151W

Clare Short: Most UK aid to Mongolia is channelled through multilateral agencies. Britain contributes around £5.7 million each year through these agencies.

We also support UK Non Governmental Organisations' work in Mongolia and operate a Small Grants Scheme, administered by our Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, focusing on activities which benefit the poorest.

In response to the current severe weather crisis, Britain is also contributing to the purchase of essential humanitarian relief supplies in Mongolia. To date the UK Government have contributed £200,000 to the relief effort.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received from the international community concerning aid to Mongolia. [118044]

Clare Short: My Department has received recent representations from the Government of Mongolia, from the Mongolian Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, the United Nations and World Vision concerning aid to Mongolia. These representations have related to requests for assistance regarding the current humanitarian situation following Mongolia's recent extreme winter weather conditions.

Horn of Africa

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the drought in the Horn of Africa; and what recent representations she has received from the international community concerning that drought. [118041]

Clare Short: The United Nations estimate that more than 12 million people face serious food shortages in the Horn of Africa. This is the result of the failure of the rains or very low rainfall in the past three years coupled with ongoing armed conflicts in the region and the presence of large numbers of refugees and displaced persons. The UN launched an appeal for £190 million on 28 January. The UN Secretary General has now appointed Catherine Bertini, Head of the World Food Programme, as his Special Envoy on the drought in the Horn of Africa. She will visit the region 11-19 April.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has for changes in the level of aid to the Horn of Africa region. [118039]

Clare Short: We have established a planning figure of about £23.35 million for bilateral expenditure in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan in 2000-01 compared to an expected outturn of £13.35 million for 1999-2000. This increase was programmed earlier this year following advance warning of the deteriorating food security situation in the Horn of Africa. The funds are available to support development programmes and emergency interventions. Actual expenditure for individual countries like all other planning figures are likely to vary depending on needs. In addition, the EU and other multilateral organisations to which we provide substantial support will be providing assistance to the region.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to increase the amount of immediate food relief to Ethiopia; and if she will make a statement. [118363]

12 Apr 2000 : Column: 152W

Clare Short: Since January we have committed some £4.5 million including 16,500 metric tonnes of food to help vulnerable populations in Ethiopia. About £2 million of this has been committed in the last week for food and non-food assistance to help provide relief to vulnerable people in Borana and North Omo. The food is being provided through international non-governmental organisations. We will also contribute 17 per cent. of the 432,000 metric tonnes provided by the EC this year.

We are ready to do more as needs emerge.

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