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The Gambia
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department gave to the Independent Electoral Commission in The Gambia (a) prior to and (b) during the presidential election held on 18 October. [10979]
Clare Short: Since 1999 we have provided support to the Independent Electoral Commission to develop and upgrade its electoral records database. In the run up to the presidential elections we provided consultancy support and various items of equipment in support of the voter re-registration exercise.
During the elections themselves we contributed to the costs of international observers to monitor the election process.
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance she will give to the Independent Electoral Commission in The Gambia prior to its 2002 parliamentary elections. [10980]
Clare Short: The support we have already provided to the Independent Electoral Commission prior to the presidential elections, particularly on voter re-registration, will also be relevant to the Parliamentary Assembly elections in 2002. We have not yet had discussions with the IEC about any additional requirements for the Assembly elections, but when we do so we will take into account possible support from other donors and experience in the presidential elections.
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will review her programme of assistance to The Gambia following the presidential election held on 18 October. [10981]
Clare Short: Over the past year our assistance to The Gambia has been concentrated on facilitating the electoral process, and on the implementation of the poverty reduction strategy. The future of the programme will depend on our overall assessment of The Gambian Government's commitment to poverty reduction, democracy and human rights. We will review the programme early in 2002.
China
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will increase funds for her Department's HIV/AIDS programme in China. [10590]
Clare Short: We are financing a £15.3 million HIV/AIDS prevention and care project in China, which aims over five years to help the Government of China develop an effective national response to HIV/AIDS. We are also working with the Government of China to design specific support for the delivery of HIV/AIDS education to young people, where funding is likely to be in the region of £5 million over three years.
The Government of China recently launched their first five year action plan to contain, prevent and control HIV/AIDS. We are currently considering what further support we can offer the Government in helping them achieve this plan.
31 Oct 2001 : Column: 690W
Departmental Assets
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what stocks of (a) antiques, (b) paintings and (c) fine wines are held by her Department; if she will list such assets sold over the last three years together with the sale proceeds from such transactions; what plans she has to sell further such assets over the period of the current comprehensive spending review; and if she will make a statement. [10846]
Clare Short: My Department has seven antiques (clocks) but no paintings (the only paintings we have are on loan from the Government Art Collection) and no fine wines. No such assets have been sold in the last three years, and there are no plans to sell these items.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [10286]
Clare Short: The needs of the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo are desperate. Some progress on the peace process and a gradual improvement in access for humanitarian agencies has enabled my Department substantially to increase the level of our support for humanitarian work through well-established non-governmental organisations.
We have contributed funding towards direct humanitarian assistance particularly in the areas of health and nutrition, water and sanitation, prisoner protection, and assistance to refugees, child soldiers and other vulnerable groups. We have also funded human rights projects in the DRC and in the wider Great Lakes region. Since January 2001 we have committed £5.5 million to the ICRC's emergency appeal.
The Government are also working to promote an end to the country's conflict and a secure and lasting peace. We are providing support to the peace process through the office of the Facilitator for the National Dialogue had peace-building projects, and we are actively exploring opportunities to support the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of combatants in the country.
Sustainable Development Summit
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department plans to achieve at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg; and if she will make a statement. [8311]
Clare Short: The latest version of the inter- departmentally agreed HMG objectives for WSSD is available on the Government's Sustainable Development website www.sustainable-development/gov/uk. In support of this strategy DFID will work to highlight the way more effective use of environmental resources can contribute to poverty reduction; and gaining wider international acceptance of the principles of strategic planning for sustainable development, which have already been agreed at ministerial level in the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD.
31 Oct 2001 : Column: 691W
Argentina
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made to her Argentinean counterparts regarding the imprisonment of a group of Argentinean farmers who grew British hemp seed certified for industrial purposes only; and if she will make a statement. [8308]
SCOTLAND
Departmental Assets
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what stocks of (a) antiques, (b) paintings and (c) fine wines are held by her Department; if she will list such assets sold over the last three years together with the sale proceeds from such transactions; what plans she has to sell further such assets over the period of the current comprehensive spending review; and if she will make a statement. [10840]
Mrs. Liddell: My Department holds no stocks of antiques, paintings or fine wines. No such assets have been sold in the last three years and we have no plans for any future sales.
Details of assets held by the Scotland Office are set out in the National Assets Register (Cm 5521, July 2001).
CABINET OFFICE
Better Regulation Task Force
9. Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress the better regulation task force is making in relation to speeding up decisions required by existing environmental regulations and diminishing their burden on business. [9289]
Mr. Leslie: The task force looked at environmental regulations last November, when it reported on their impact on farmers.
As with all its reports, the task force follows closely the Government's progress in implementing its recommendations and publishes updates on its website.
Special Advisers
10. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish new guidelines on the employment of special advisers. [9290]
Mrs. Roche: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Lichfield (Mr. Fabricant) at column 866.
13. Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to reduce the number of special advisers employed by Her Majesty's Government. [9293]
Mrs. Roche: The rules on the appointment of special advisers continue to be as set out in paragraph 50 of the Ministerial Code.
31 Oct 2001 : Column: 692W
Emergency Planning
11. Mr. Miller: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his Department's co-ordination role in emergency planning. [9291]
- 15. Gillian Merron: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his Department's role is in emergency planning. [9296]
Mr. Leslie: I refer my hon. Friends to my oral answer to the hon. Member the Member for Romsey (Sandra Gidley) today at column 863–64.
18. Ms Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress made in the work undertaken by the Civil Contingencies Secretariat. [9302]
Mr. Leslie: Led by the Civil Contingencies Committee, the Secretariat is co-ordinating a review of our tried and tested contingency plans in the light of the events of 11 September. We are taking all sensible steps to make sure the country is well prepared for any emergency or threat, including chemical and biological ones.
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