| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Water Conservation
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has spent on research into innovative water technologies and water conservation techniques for the agriculture sector in the past five years; and if she will list each research project. [56660]
16 May 2002 : Column 752W
Clare Short: The Department for International Development funds a substantial programme of knowledge and research in water-related issues. Over the past five years £5 million has been allocated to innovative water technologies and water conservation techniques for the agricultural sector. Specific projects include:
| Project title | Research agency |
|---|---|
| Smallholder irrigation in Africa | International Programme on Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage |
| Sustainability of modern irrigated agricultural systems | HR Wallingford |
| Technology transfer and sustainable rural development | Silsoe College |
| Aids to improved agricultural drainage | HR Wallingford |
| Fuzzy logic for water resource allocation | Centre for Ecology and Hydrology |
| Improved irrigation in peri-urban areas | HR Wallingford |
| Improved irrigation and drainage to save water | HR Wallingford |
| Low cost micro-irrigation technologies for the poor | Intermediate Technology and Development Group |
| Privatisation/transfer of irrigation management in central Asia | Mott MacDonald |
| Improving community spate irrigation systems | HR Wallingford |
| Achieving sustainable local management of irrigation water in water-short basins: South Africa case study | International Water Management Institute |
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial assistance her Department gave to (a) South Africa, (b) Uganda and (c) Nigeria for sustainable water supplies and sanitation systems in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02. [56661]
Clare Short: In financial year 2000–01 the Department gave the following financial assistance for sustainable water supplies and sanitation systems:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| (a) South Africa | 1,503,450 |
| (b) Uganda | (1)2,324,094 |
| (c) Nigeria | 590,577 |
(1) Figure includes school sanitation component of an education project
Expenditure figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.
Anti-corruption Bureaux
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much assistance her Department provided in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 to support anti-corruption bureaux in developing countries; and if she will list them. [56662]
Clare Short: Our planned and operational support for anti-corruption bureaux in developing countries in 2000–01 and 2001–02 using figures available from our central management information system includes the following:
| Planned commitment | Expenditure 2000–01 | Expenditure 2001–02 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honduras | 41,000 | 41,000 | — |
| Malawi | 1,272,000 | 94,902 | 269,751 |
| Pakistan | 431,000 | — | 168,000 |
| Sierra Leone | 1,445,000 | 137,158 | 898,743 |
| Uganda | 1,000,000 | 5,589 | 248,064 |
| Zambia | 2,126,000 | 276,720 | 233,524 |
| Total | 6,315,000 | 555,369 | 1,818,082 |
We are also currently developing support to the new Independent Corrupt Practices Commission in Nigeria.
Support for anti-corruption bureaux is normally only one part of wider programmes of activity to bear down on corruption.
Trade and Poverty Programme
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the progress of the Africa trade and poverty programme. [56664]
Hilary Benn: The trade and poverty programme (TPP) aims to build capacity in sub-Saharan African countries and regional organisations for trade reforms which support poverty reduction. Detailed proposals for capacity building projects have been prepared in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Botswana and the East African community. The project design process has itself been contributing in these countries to better co-ordination between trade policy and poverty reduction and to building the national understanding and ownership of the projects which is vital for their success. Full implementation of these projects is expected to start in July 2002. DFID is also working on possible TPP projects with Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia and the Southern African trade network and plans to make visits to assess interest in Nigeria in June and with the West African Economic and Monetary Union shortly after.
UNGASS
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her assessment was of the outcomes of the UN Special Session on Children (UNGASS) which took place in New York in May. [56667]
Clare Short: The UNGASS helped to raise the profile of child poverty and child rights issues. It provided an opportunity for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Minister for Children and Young People and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development to advocate UK views and network with
16 May 2002 : Column 753W
others. But negotiations on the outcomes document were difficult. The outcomes document is good on HIV/AIDS, gender equality and education. But we were not able to secure optimal language on reproductive health and child rights in the face of strong American opposition. The language on reproductive health and child rights is acceptable and the best that could be agreed by all UN member states, but is not as strong as we would ideally have liked.
Sustainable Development
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made towards the implementation of national strategies for sustainable development for developing countries; and which countries have strategies in place. [56668]
Clare Short: DFID has been supporting the development of National Strategies for sustainable development (NSSDs) initially through working with colleagues at the OECD/DAC to produce policy guidance on this topic. This work has been taken up by the United Nations who have now developed their own policy guidance. This will be a priority issue at the World Summit on sustainable development later this year.
One conclusion of work so far is that developing strategies is more of a process than preparing a document that sits on a shelf. Moreover, the label does not matter. If a national strategy adheres to an agreed set of principles or characteristics of strategic processes for sustainability, then that strategy in effect becomes a NSSD. In this way, poverty reduction strategies that exhibit these characteristics (such as the integration of environmental, economic and social considerations) can be considered NSSDs.
As a consequence, it is not easy to quantify how many NSSDs are in place because they are identified by characteristics not labels.
Committee Mandates
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the European Development Fund Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55383]
Clare Short: The European Development Fund Committee (EDF) examines community aid for development co-operation in the ACP countries and the overseas countries and territories (OCT). EU-ACP co-operation is now governed by the Cotonou Agreement, signed in June 2000. The Cotonou Agreement's main objectives are the reduction and eventual eradication of poverty and the gradual integration of ACP countries into the global economy, while adhering to the aims of sustainable development.
Article 21 of the Cotonou Agreement establishes the role of the EDF Committee. The Committee's tasks cover:
- (a) programming of community aid and programming reviews in particular focusing on country and regional strategies, including identification of projects and programmes;
16 May 2002 : Column 754W
- (b) participation in the decision-making process relating to financing from the European Development Fund; and
- (c) monitoring the implementation of community aid, including sectoral aspects, cross-cutting issues, and the functioning of field-level co-ordination.
The Committee also examines the consistency and complementarity between EC aid and aid from the member states. In order to ensure transparency and consistency between co-operation operations and improve complementarity between community actions and member states' own bilateral programmes.
In the past 12 months the Committee has met nine times. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. Travel costs for DFID officials to attend meetings of the Committee are met by the European Commission. Other costs incurred for attending this Committee totalled £2,800 in the past 12 months.
Together with member states, the commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
- "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on the Special System of Assistance to traditional ACP Suppliers of Bananas is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55382]
Clare Short: Council Regulation (EC) No. 856/1999 establishes a special framework of assistance (SFA) for traditional ACP suppliers of bananas. It was adopted on 22 April 1999. The Regulation provides for financial and technical assistance to 12 ACP countries, taking account of changes in the marketing arrangements for bananas in Europe following the amendments to the import regime introduced on 1 January 1999.
A Commission decision fixing the amounts available in 1999 under the special framework of assistance for a total of 45 million euro was published on 30 September 1999. A second Commission decision was made on 18 July 2000 for the 2000 budget line (44.5 million euro).
The overall objective of this programme of assistance is to improve competitiveness of traditional ACP banana production. The Council Regulation aims to achieve this goal by funding projects designed to increase banana productivity. Funding is also available for diversification
16 May 2002 : Column 755W
where no opportunities for sustainable increase in banana production exists. The method for calculating eligibility for funds is based upon a competitivity gap formula.
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1609/1999 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the Council Regulation was adopted on 22 July 1999. Article 6 of this regulation states that the Commission will be assisted by the geographically determined committee competent for development. This role is taken by the European Development Fund Committee (EDF) sitting as the Advisory Committee on Special Systems of Assistance to traditional ACP suppliers of bananas.
In the past 12 months this committee has met once. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. As matters for consideration of this committee are always scheduled within an existing EDF Committee meeting, no additional charge to public funds is incurred in connection with attending this committee.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
- "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Committee on Food Security and Food Aid is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55380]
Clare Short: Council Regulation (EC) No. 1292/96 of 27 June 1996 establishes the framework for European Community food aid policy, management and food aid operations. Article 26 of the regulation states that the Commission shall be assisted by a Food and Security and Food Aid Committee composed of representatives of the member states chaired by a representative of the Commission.
The committee is responsible for examining any implications for recipient countries of proposals to commit funds for food security, analysis and monitoring food security policies and examining proposals for joint initiatives with other Community instruments.
In the past 12 months the committee has met three times. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. Travel costs for DFID officials to attend meetings of the
16 May 2002 : Column 756W
committee are met by the European Commission. Other costs incurred for attending this committee totalled £420 in the past 12 months.
The European Community's budget for food security and food aid operations in 2001 was 455 million euros and for 2002 has been set at 435 million euros. The United Kingdom's share of this is approximately 18 per cent. This figure includes the United Kingdom's mandatory contribution of £19 million under the terms of the 1999 Food Aid Convention.
Food security and food aid operations are of three main types; dealing with immediate food shortages, longer term operations to support food security and operations to improve early warning systems and storage programmes. Areas to have recently experienced severe food shortages include Ecuador, DPR Korea, Georgia, West Bank and Gaza, Burkina Faso and Afghanistan.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
- "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Committee on Implementation of Humanitarian Aid Operations is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55350]
Clare Short: The European Union's mandate to The European Community Humanitarian Organisation (as set out in Regulation (CE) No. 1257/96) is to provide emergency assistance and relief to the victims of natural disasters or armed conflict outside the European Union.
The Humanitarian Aid Committee (HAC) meets on average once a month, excluding August (and often December). In addition to this, each presidency usually holds an informal HAC to discuss issues of substance in more detail. Including both formal and informal HACs there have been 12 meetings over the last 12 months. The UK is represented by officials from the Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department, DFID. The annual cost to public funds of the Committee's work is approximately £5,000.
Items due for discussion at the next HAC on 23 May include the Global Plan 2002 for Sahrawi Refugees in Algeria, a report on ECHO's recent evaluation of UNHCR activities, a report on the recent ECHO Mission to
16 May 2002 : Column 757W
Zimbabwe, and the Commission's non-paper on the interplay between Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid in crisis situations.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
- "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Committee on Financial and Technical Assistance and Economic Co-Operation with Developing Countries in Asia and Latin America is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55385]
Clare Short: Council Regulation (EC) No. 443/92 25 February 1992 establishes the framework for European Community financial and technical assistance, and economic co-operation with the countries of Asia and Latin America. Article 15 of the regulation states that the Commission shall be assisted by a committee composed of representatives of the member states chaired by a representative of the Commission.
The committee considers and delivers an opinion, by qualified majority voting, on development assistance financing proposals for country and regional strategies, projects and programmes in Asia and Latin America.
In the past 12 months the committee has met 11 times. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. Travel costs for DFID officials to attend meetings of the committee are met by the European Commission. Other costs incurred for attending this committee totalled £1,800 in the past 12 months.
EU development co-operation assistance in Asian has been focused on direct poverty reduction measures, for example through support for rural development, infrastructure and institutional capacity building. The environment sector has also received support with substantial programmes devoted to areas such as forest protection, biodiversity and environmental technology. The health and education sectors also feature significantly in EC efforts aimed at poverty reduction. Priority is given to the poorest populations, and to the poorer areas of developing countries, with a view to supporting economic activities that lead to sustainable development.
16 May 2002 : Column 758W
Together with the member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
- "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the MED Committee Financial and Technical co-operation between the Community and Mediterranean non-member countries is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55386]
Clare Short: Council Regulation (EC) No. 2698/2000 of 27 November 2000 amended an existing regulation setting out the terms of financial and technical measures to promote reform of economic and social structures in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. Article 11 of the regulation establishes the roles of a management committee composed of representatives of the member states, the European Bank (EIB), chaired by a representative of the Commission.
The priorities for MEDA resources are support for economic transition with the aim of wider implementation of free trade through increasing competitiveness with a view to achieving sustainable economic growth, particularly through development of the private sector; support to economic transition; and strengthening the socio-economic balance: the aim is to alleviate the short- term costs of economic transition through appropriate measures in the fields of social policy.
The committee considers and delivers an opinion, by qualified majority voting, on development assistance financing proposals for country and regional strategies, projects and programmes in the MED region.
In the past 12 months the committee has met eight times. The United Kingdom is represented by officials from the Department for International Development. Travel costs for DFID officials to attend meetings of the committee are met by the European Commission. Other costs incurred for attending this committee totalled £1,260 in the past 12 months.
Together with the member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
16 May 2002 : Column 759W
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mandate of the Committee on aid for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia (CAROS) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55390]
Clare Short: The mandate of the CARDS Committee is to oversee the implementation of Council Regulation 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000, which established CARDS. It determines the strategy framework for CARDS, and approves annual and multi-annual allocations to country and regional programmes.
The committee has met eight times in the last year. The UK is represented by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the UK Permanent Representation to the European Commission.
The annual cost to public funds of the committee's work principally comprises the work of DFID officials in assessing and discussing with the EC strategy and programme proposals, as well as the costs of attendance at meetings of the committee. The CARDS budget for 2001–06 is euro 4.65 billion, of which the UK's share is 18.8 per cent., or approximately £540 million. We do not keep records to show the proportion of staff time committed to CARDS.
CARDS programmes or work related to them are subject to scrutiny by Select Committees of Parliament. Under Council Decision 1999/468/EC the EC has undertaken to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first such report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Commission Document 5685/02). We have encouraged the EC to make available on its website a record of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |