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Development Targets
23. Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the World bank about progress towards the 2015 development targets. [21905]
Clare Short: I have regular discussions with the World bank about this issue. The most recent occasion was at the meeting of the World bank/International Monetary Fund Development Committee in Ottawa, 17–18 November. I am pleased to report that there is an increasingly strong commitment within the World bank and its member countries for concerted action to meet the 2015 targets. This includes growing recognition of the need to increase the volume of resources made available to poor countries committed to the policy and institutional changes needed to reduce poverty and achieve the other targets; and to enhance the effectiveness of this aid, including by untying it. The UK has already untied its aid, and pledged to increase the oda/GNI ration from 0.32 per cent. in 2000 to 0.33 per cent. by 2003–04. Substantial progress is being made towards the key 2015 target of halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty. While regional progress varies, the best available evidence suggests that on present trends the global target will be met but some of the targets, particularly the reduction of maternal mortality, will not be met. Progress varies between regions and countries. Very few African countries are on track to meet the targets.
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Bangladesh
25. Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the programme to develop the technical competence of engineers in Bangladesh. [21907]
Clare Short: My Department has just completed a successful five-year project to strengthen the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh and to establish an Engineers Registration Board to enable Bangladeshi engineers to be internationally recognised within the various branches of the engineering profession.
We have recently commenced a new project to strengthen the professional engineering associated in eight developing countries (including Bangladesh) following on from the success achieved to date under the previous project.
Corruption
27. Mr. Clelland: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's priorities are for tackling corruption. [21909]
Clare Short: The priorities of our bilateral programmes are to support national strategies which address both enforcement action against corruption, such as strong and effective anti-corruption agencies, and preventive measures, such as strengthening capacity for public sector budgetary and financial management, procurement, accounting and audit; reforming civil service management, enhancing public oversight through strengthened parliamentary committees, developing measures to reduce judicial corruption and supporting civil society to promote transparency and accountability in public life.
At the multilateral level, negotiations for a United Nations Convention Against Corruption commence in January. This is a major opportunity to develop global standards for tackling corruption and improving international co-operation. We will be playing an active role in these discussions.
We attach importance also to strengthening collaboration with other bilateral development agencies and multilateral partners, in particular through supporting the implementation conventions against bribery in international trade and strengthening regional anti-money- laundering mechanisms.
Pakistan
28. Liz Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's assistance to Pakistan. [21910]
Clare Short: We are committed to supporting Pakistan's economic and social development for the long haul. This includes support for the Road Map to Democracy announced by President Musharraf in August 2001, which envisages national elections by October 2002. We are working closely with the international financial institutions and other multilateral organisations to ensure sustainable improvements in the lives of poor people in Pakistan. Our bilateral assistance is designed as a contribution to this wider international effort; and my Department meets the UK share of expenditure by the World bank, Asian Development bank, European Commission and UN agencies.
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Our bilateral programme is focused on three objectives: creating the economic conditions for poverty reduction; strengthening health systems and improving quality and management in education. These are pursued through support to the process of devolution; support to rural livelihoods; and support to the development of the poverty reduction strategy paper.
In health, we are working to improve access to—and quality of—public health services, especially for the poorest. For example, we are helping to improve reproductive health through support for social marketing of condoms through Population Services International. We are also working up an HIV/AIDS drug harm prevention project. On education, we are supporting the implementation of the devolution of education management to provincial and district levels in North West Frontier Province and Northern Areas. We are also helping to raise quality standards by collaborating on reform of the National Education Assessment System.
In terms of support for the political reform effort, examples of these are the assistance my Department is providing to improve the quality of governance by supporting the Elections Commission in the run up to next year's provincial and national elections, and the National Reconstruction Bureau in its deliberations on constitutional reform. We are also focused on working
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with the appropriate Government Departments and civil society groups to address gender discrimination and violence against women.
In recognition of Pakistan's reform progress to date, and to support the new three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility agreed with the IMF earlier this month, I have allocated a further £15 million for budgetary aid this financial year, and £45 million for each of the subsequent two years. This is in addition to the on-going technical assistance programme, and represents a major increase in our engagement with Pakistan's medium-term reform programme.
As announced in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 802W, I have also allocated £11 million of short-term assistance to help host communities affected by the refugee influx.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects which she is funding in (a) part and (b) whole in Pakistan; and what is the cost involved in each case. [22978]
Clare Short: The following projects are being, or have been, funded by my Department in the current financial year 2001–02. Implementation periods can range between a few weeks to several years.
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