---

Globalisation

20. Mr. Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she expects to publish the White Paper on globalisation. [123190]

7 Jun 2000 : Column: 265W

Clare Short: The Government intend to publish their White Paper on Globalisation and Development in the autumn.

Plan Colombia

21. Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's response to the Plan Colombia proposals made by the Colombian Government. [123191]

Clare Short: Plan Colombia is a first step in efforts to bring peace to Colombia. Much remains to be done. The UK is discussing with its EU colleagues how best to respond to the Plan.

On-line Communications

24. Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to promote the development of on-line communications in the developing world. [123194]

Clare Short: Over the next decade these new technologies have the potential significantly to improve poor people's access to information, markets and other services, but also the very real potential to increase the gap yet further between the rich and the poor. We intend to play a significant role in helping to bridge this emerging digital divide. Our new Development White Paper will specifically address the issue of information and communication as one of the key factors in globalisation. The White Paper will outline what role the UK can play, both directly and indirectly, to promote widespread access to information and communication in developing countries.

Zimbabwe

25. Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on aid programmes for Zimbabwe. [123195]

Clare Short: Our country strategy paper for Zimbabwe was published in April 1999. It outlines the case for economic reform and land redistribution in order to improve the life opportunities of poor Zimbabweans. It makes clear our willingness to provide resources up to £36 million for this purpose. Unfortunately there has been no such reform and the economic and political situation is very worrying. Our programme is therefore focused on HIV/AIDS, water and rural livelihoods. Our spending is £12 million.

Biotechnology

26. Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions (a) she and (b) her officials have held with the Governments of countries in receipt of aid on the use of biotechnology. [123196]

Clare Short: My officials and I hold many discussions with partner Governments on issues in which the use of biotechnology may be raised.

The kinds of biotechnology most likely to benefit the world's poorest are processes which improve crop yields, vaccine production, water treatment and contraceptive technologies, antibiotics and diagnostic techniques.

7 Jun 2000 : Column: 266W

St. Helena

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 23 May 2000, Official Report, columns 408-09W, if the Comparative Study of air and sea access to and from St. Helena will consider emergency medical evacuations. [124801]

Clare Short: The Comparative Study will consider health issues including emergency medical evacuations from the island.

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the aid to St. Helena in (a) cash and (b) constant terms was spent on the island itself in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [124811]

Clare Short: The figures for aid to St. Helena for the period 1988-89 to 1998-99 in current and constant (1998-99) prices are:

£000

	Current prices	Constant prices
1988-89	18,652	27,760
1989-90	24,170	33,570
1990-97	11,636	14,988
1991-95	7,910	9,594
1992-93	8,658	10,165
1993-94	8,603	9,838
1994-95	7,786	8,778
1995-96	8,695	9,528
1996-97	7,781	8,261
1997-98	8,385	8,661
1998-99	8,587	8,587

The figures for the period 1988-89 to 1990-91 include construction costs for the RMS St. Helena. Disaggregated figures for offshore and local expenditure are not readily available.

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will give details of the visits made to each Overseas Territory by Ministers in her Department since 1 May 1997. [124831]

Mr. Foulkes: I have visited Montserrat on two occasions. The first was from 31 August until 2 September 1997, and the second from 12 January to 13 January 1999. Neither the Secretary of State nor I have made other visits to Overseas Territories during this time.

Aid Programmes (Religious Affiliation)

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what account she takes of religious affiliation in the planning of aid programmes. [124565]

Clare Short: The Department for International Development does not take account of religious affiliation in planning development programmes. All our work places a strong emphasis on human rights. Freedom of worship is a fundamental freedom. Persecution of people for their religious belief is a breach of international human rights conventions.

7 Jun 2000 : Column: 267W

Where we support civil society organisations which have an evangelising role, we make it clear that our support is for programmes and activities which contribute to the elimination of poverty and which are delivered without religious or sectarian bias.

Opinion Research

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999-2000. [123923]

Clare Short: As announced in our "Building Support for Development" strategy paper, we are committed to regular monitoring of public and young people's attitudes to development in order to inform and monitor the impact of the public education work of the Department. Studies were undertaken in July 1999 on general public attitudes and in March 2000 on young people's attitudes. The results are available on DFID's website and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. In 1999-2000 we spent £42,625 on this research. In addition, we spent £1,804 on a readership survey of "Developments" magazine, in order to test the impact and reach of the magazine. The results of this are available through the website.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Crop Contamination

Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports he has sought from Canada as to how the contamination of oil seed rape with GM produce occurred. [123766]

Ms Quin [holding answer 5 June 2000]: One of my officials has visited the Canadian Authorities in Ottawa to seek information on possible sources of the contamination. Further investigations are being carried out by the Canadian Authorities.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the Swedish Board of Agriculture concerning their action on contaminated oilseed rape seed; and what action he intends to take as a result. [124352]

Ms Quin [holding answer 5 June 2000]: MAFF has discussed the recent Advanta incident with the Swedish Board of Agriculture and took account of the position in Sweden and elsewhere in the EU in deciding on appropriate action in the UK.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports he has received about conventional maize seed which was contaminated by GM maize being grown in this country. [124341]

Ms Quin [holding answer 5 June 2000]: We have received no such reports. Suggestions have been made in the press that some GM seeds of maize may be present in stocks of non-GM maize seeds. I announced on 17 May 2000, Official Report, column 173W, an urgent study of the risk of GM seeds in imported conventional seeds.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what implications planting of oil seed rape contaminated with GM produce

7 Jun 2000 : Column: 268W

has for (a) the separation policy for GM crop trials and other crops and (b) the regulations governing GM crops. [123762]

Ms Quin [holding answer 5 June 2000]: The Government have initiated a review of separation distances for GM crops and are pressing for new international seed purity standards relating to the presence of GM seeds in conventional seed stocks.

---