| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Departmental Expenditure Limits
Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to amend his Department's Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for 2000-01. [138156]
Mr. Hain: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class VII Vote I, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000-01 will be increased by £96,723,000 from £1,113,610,000 to £1,210,333,000 and running cost limit will be increased by £17,989,000 from £513,993,000 to £531,982,000. The increase is the net effect of:
(i) additional provision of £73,935,000 on Section B for UK contributions to United Nations Missions in the former Yugoslavia (includes UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo) and the former Soviet Union, United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (Iraq), United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission, United Nations Mission for the Referendum on Western Sahara, United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor, United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, the United Nations International Criminal Tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the European Community Monitoring Mission and Western European Union Police Mission in Albania;
(ii) take up of end year flexibility of £16,264,000 for running costs and £4,799,000 for capital expenditure;
(iii) a successful bid of £1,725,000 against the Capital Modernisation Fund approved by the Chief Secretary.
Belize
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken in response to recent territorial claims on Belize by Guatemala; and if he will make a statement. [137325]
Mr. Battle: The UK has encouraged both parties to remain in constructive talks under the auspices of the Organisation of American States, in order to find a peaceful resolution to the border dispute.
The UK continues to support Belize's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will provide legal assistance in Belize's efforts to demarcate its land and maritime. We continue to make our views clear to both sides.
Export Controls
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received between November 1999 and November 2000 on (a) the timing and (b) the content of strategic export controls legislation from (i) non- Governmental organisations including voluntary and charitable groups, (ii) commercial interests, companies and trade organisations and (iii) other categories; and if he will make a statement. [136604]
9 Nov 2000 : Column: 371W
Mr. Hain: I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry today. (UIN 136001)
EU Enlargement
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries for which it is Government policy that they should ultimately be permitted to join the European Union. [136230]
Mr. Vaz: There are currently 13 candidates for membership of the European Union (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey).
In addition, as Articles 49 and 6(1) of the Treaty on European Union make clear, membership of the European Union is open to any European state which respects
- the principals of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Civil Servants (Relocation)
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which relocation companies hold contracts with her Department for the relocation of civil servants; when the contracts were last renewed; where the contracts were advertised; and what the length and value of each contract is. [137196]
Clare Short: Crown Worldwide Ltd. provide relocation services to my Department for staff taking up or returning from assignments overseas. A three year contract, with the option of a two year extension, was signed in April 1998. It was advertised in October 1997 in the International Freight Weekly, EU Journal, Government Opportunities and the Daily Telegraph. The option for the two year extension was taken up in May 2000 and the contract will expire on 31 March 2003. The contract has no financial value, we pay for services provided. There is no contractual arrangement for relocation within the UK and staff are required to seek competitive tenders from three companies.
Misuse of Aid
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of corruption in projects administered by the United Nations. [136627]
Clare Short: The Board of Auditors, whose membership currently includes the UK Comptroller and Auditor General, acts as external auditor of the accounts of the UN, its funds and programmes.
Expenditure
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes will be made to the Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for her Department in 2000-01. [138012]
9 Nov 2000 : Column: 372W
Clare Short: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, for Class VIII, Vote 1: Department for International Development, the Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000-01 will be increased by £8,546,000 from £2,113,186,000 to £2,121,732,000 for voted expenditure giving a total of voted and non-voted expenditure of £2,759,768,000. The running cost limit for the Department for International Development will be increased by £3,985,000. The increase is the net effect of:
- an increase of £2,560,988 in respect of the carry forward of underspends from 1999-2000 on the International Development Vote;
- a DETR transfer of £2,000,000 in respect of the environmental know how fund;
- an allocation of £485,000 under the civil service modernisation fund allocation to the running costs budget;
- the drawing down of £3,500,000 from our running costs entitlement to end-year.
Great Lakes
Mr. Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the development of a regional policy for the Great Lakes region of Africa. [136458]
Clare Short: We are strongly involved in supporting Rwanda's recovery and development and in supporting Uganda's development. We are also very supportive of the Lusaka peace process. We hope to support other countries' lead in Burundi. We have decided to undertake some analysis in the Department to deepen our understanding of the regional context. It would be an exaggeration to call this a regional policy.
Horn of Africa (Drought)
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the drought in the Horn of Africa region. [136623]
Clare Short: The UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General for the drought in the Horn of Africa, Ms Catherine Bertini, visited Kenya and Ethiopia between 17-23 September. She found that there has been progress in addressing the effects of drought in the Horn of Africa region since April; food and non-food assistance provided through the United Nations, non-governmental organisations and Government has prevented a famine and set the foundation for recovery. Almost 1 million tonnes of food was delivered to drought affected people in the Horn of Africa countries between January and August 2000. She reported that the crisis is not over and millions of people are still at risk, and recommended that relief needs in the region should be reassessed this month with a new Interagency Relief Drought Appeal for the Horn of Africa being issued in December. We continue to respond to needs as they arise.
Cambodia
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding her Department has given in each of the last three years to Cambodia,
9 Nov 2000 : Column: 373W
indicating the projects for which aid was given; what recent request she has received for aid for flood relief; and if she will make a statement. [137323]
9 Nov 2000 : Column: 374W
Mr. Foulkes: The table provides the detail on our funding and projects in Cambodia:
9 Nov 2000 : Column: 373W
| Cambodia | 1997-98 (£000) | 1998-99 (£000) | 1999-2000 (£000) | Total (£000) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary English Teaching Project (CAMSET 1 and II) | 808 | 764 | 863 | 2,090 | Active |
| Phnom Penh Urban Poverty Project, Phase I | 281 | 238 | 280 | 799 | Complete |
| Health Sector Reform Project, Phase II and III | 256 | 790 | 964 | 1,793 | Active |
| Social Marketing of Contraceptives, Phase I and II | 252 | 777 | 239 | 1,226 | Active |
| Reproductive Health/Family Planning and Sexual Health | 800 | 509 | 55 | 1,809 | Complete |
| Malaria Project, Phase II | 362 | 61 | -- | 423 | Complete |
| CONCERN Rural Development Project | -- | -- | 117 | 117 | Active |
| Support for Elections--UNDP Trust Fund | -- | 448 | 40 | 488 | Complete |
| Support to Illegal Logging Unit | -- | -- | 200 | 200 | Complete |
| HIV/AIDS Care in the Community Support | 63 | 12 | 28 | 28 | Active |
| VSO EQIP (Education) Project | -- | -- | 11 | 11 | Active |
| Small Grants Scheme: Projects | 102 | 120 | 120 | 342 | Active |
| UNDP Reconciliation Project, Anlong Veng | -- | 150 | -- | 150 | Complete |
| Demining | -- | 200 | -- | 200 | Complete |
| Humanitarian Mine Action | 442 | 693 | 2,810 | 3,945 | Active |
| Joint Funding Scheme | 694 | 629 | 522 | 1,845 | Active |
| Other | 712 | 171 | 364 | 1,247 | Active |
| Total | 4,772 | 5,562 | 7,058 | 17,392 |
9 Nov 2000 : Column: 373W
We have allocated £1.25 million to alleviate the suffering of flood victims in Cambodia. This includes £250,000 through the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), £500,000 through UNICEF and £500,000 for international non-governmental organisations. In addition, Cambodia will benefit from a part of the £600,000 allocated to the IFRC flood appeal for the Mekong region. We have contributed a further £125,000 as our share of the EU humanitarian aid package.
A detailed statement on our support for development in Cambodia is contained in the Country Strategy Paper published in March this year. A copy is in the House of Commons Library.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |