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St. Helena

22. Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she expects to make a decision on providing an airfield on the island of St. Helena. [138126]

Clare Short: A comparative study of the options for sea and air access to St. Helena is currently under way. The team undertaking the work visited the island in mid-October. We expect their draft report by the end of this year. We will then discuss the report and its recommendations with the St. Helena Government. The results of the study cannot be prejudged and no presumption can be made that it will lead to support being offered for the provision of an airfield. We hope to reach decisions in early 2001.

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Ethiopia

23. Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her policy of development aid towards Ethiopia. [138127]

Clare Short: I discussed our role in Ethiopia with the Ethiopian Prime Minister in Addis Ababa at the weekend. As the prospects for lasting peace become firmer, we are reviewing how we should re-engage there. Initially we will be strengthening our work through multilateral development agencies such as the World bank and the European Commission. We also strengthen our work on food security.

Overseas Territories

24. Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last met the chief ministers of the overseas territories; what matters were discussed at that meeting; and if she will make a statement. [138128]

Clare Short: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State is responsible for development assistance to the Overseas Territories. He last met Chief Ministers during the second annual Overseas Territories Consultative Council meetings from 3-4 October 2000. These ensure that there is opportunity during the year for UK Ministers to meet political leaders from the Overseas Territories for an exchange of views on a jointly determined agenda. This year's talks included discussion on sustainable development, human rights, accessible justice and internal security.

ILO

25. Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the ILO's contribution to promoting international development. [138129]

Clare Short: Our assessment is that the International Labour Organisation's priorities are evolving in a direction which will increase their developmental benefits. The ILO's focus on "Decent Work" should achieve a greater emphasis on promoting secure livelihoods for poor people.

Misuse of Aid

26. Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to ensure that British aid is not misused. [138130]

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South-West Devon (Mr. Streeter) on 7 November 2000, Official Report, column 159W.

Corruption

27. Mr. Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what help her Department is giving to developing countries to fight corruption. [138131]

Clare Short: Since 1997 we have strengthened our efforts to fight corruption. This includes support for national anti-corruption strategies, which may include the establishment of specific anti-corruption agencies; strengthening public sector capacity for budgetary and

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financial management, procurement, accounting and audit; reforming civil service management; enhancing public oversight through strengthened public accounts and other parliamentary committees, and supporting civil society to promote transparency and accountability. We are also collaborating with other development agencies and contributing to multilateral efforts, in particular through supporting the implementation of international conventions against bribery in international trade and strengthening regional anti-money-laundering mechanisms.

Aid Targeting

28. Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with her European counterparts on proposals for the better targeting of aid. [138132]

Clare Short: I most recently met EU Development Ministers and Commission representatives at the 10 November Development Council. The Government are implementing a detailed strategy (a copy of which is in the Library of the House) to press the European Commission and other EU member states radically to improve the poverty focus and effectiveness of EC development assistance. To this end the 10 November Development Council adopted a Development Policy Declaration with poverty reduction, and eventual eradication, as its central objective. I will continue to press for EC resource priorities to be shifted to reflect this new policy.

DEFENCE

Defence Aviation Repair Agency

Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress the Chief Executive of DARA has made in achieving his Agency's key targets 1 to 5 for the financial year 2000-01. [138163]

Mr. Spellar: The Chief Executive of DARA is on course to exceed the Agency's key targets 1, 2 and 5 and is on target to meet key targets 3 and 4.

Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the role and responsibilities are of the Staff Officer to the Chief Executive of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency. [139582]

Mr. Spellar: The role of the Staff Officer to the DARA Chief Executive is to provide Secretariat support to the Chief Executive in the running of a £500 million turnover business, with over 5,000 employees and on four sites across the UK.

Specifically:

(a) Acting as Secretary to DARA board-level meetings.

(b) Preparing draft documents for the Chief Executive.

(c) Preparing comprehensive briefing material for meetings including the Ministerial Advisory Board.

(d) Drafting responses to parliamentary questions.

(e) Handling media inquiries.

Indonesia (Arms Trade)

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the United Kingdom's arms trade was with the Moluccas Islands of Indonesia on average in the last five years. [139030]

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Dr. Moonie: HM Customs and Excise data collection methods do not allow for the identification of the destination of goods below country level and it is therefore not possible to provide the specific information requested. Details of identified exports of military equipment to individual countries, including Indonesia, are published in Part III of the annual report on Strategic Export Controls. Annual reports have been published covering each of the last three years and copies are available from the Library of the House. Comparable information relating to earlier years is not available.

Mine Detection

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what concepts have been developed by the UK Defence Evaluation and Research Agency for mine detection; what the cost of the latest version of the technology demonstrator is; what the technology demonstrator is based on; and if he will make a statement. [138979]

Dr. Moonie: The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency is undertaking a number of research tasks for the Ministry of Defence in mine detection. There are three applied research technology demonstrators, aimed at proof of principle demonstrations. These are:

1. The Advanced Hand Held Mine Detector (AHHMD) technology demonstrator programme that started in April 1995. AHHMD is a man-portable, although not necessarily strictly 'hand held', system. Research expenditure has been approximately £3 million over five years. The demonstrator is based on integration of Metal Detection, Ground Penetrating Radar and Quadruple Resonance sensors.

2. The Mine Detection, neutralisation and Route Marking System (MINDER) technology demonstrator programme that started in April 1997. MINDER is a land vehicle mounted system. Research expenditure will be in the order of £4 million over five years. The demonstrator is based on integration of close-in Metal Detection and Ground Penetrating Radar sensor arrays and forward looking Ultra Wide Band Radar and Polarised Infra-Red sensors.

3. The Remote Minefield Detection System (REMIDS) technology demonstrator programme is aimed at minefield detection rather than individual mines and began in 1995. Research expenditure will be in the order of £6 million over six years. The demonstrator is based on Ultra Wide Band Synthetic Aperture Radar and Polarised Infra-Red sensors together with a mine detection workstation.

Military Equipment

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidelines have been set for the future Scout and Cavalry system and tactical reconnaissance armoured combat equipment requirement; what ISTAR capabilities TRACER and FSCS will employ; and if he will make a statement. [138976]

Dr. Moonie: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 22 November 2000:

I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence on the collaborative Future Scout and Cavalry System and Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement (TRACER) programme. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.

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You asked what guidelines have been set for the programme. In approving the programme, Minister (Defence Procurement) directed that the work on TRACER should be part of an integrated strategy of studies which would include work to determine the role that Unmanned Air Vehicles would play in battlefield reconnaissance. Balance of Investment studies will inform a decision on the optimum mix of sensors and platforms to meet the land commander's critical information requirements.

On the question of what ISTAR capabilities will be employed, TRACER/FSCS will form the land-based component of the wider Information, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) assets. To meet commanders' requirements for detailed combat intelligence, these systems will need to be capable of gathering, processing and disseminating accurate and timely information. Of primary importance will be information on the enemy strength, deployment and equipment. To provide a complete and detailed picture of the battlefield Commanders will also require data on terrain, navigability, obstacles and routes.

In the context of TRACER, two competing consortia are considering a wide range of candidate technologies. These include surveillance systems, a sophisticated sensor suite, a balanced survivability package including stealth technology, an improved target detection and recognition capability, Defensive Aids Suites and physical protection in the form of advanced armour technologies.

A decision on the final system architecture will take account of the outcome of the current Project Definition phase, due to complete in July 2002, and the parallel studies into the use of Unmanned Air Vehicles for battlefield reconnaissance.

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