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Rwanda
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding the conduct of the Government of Rwanda with regard to Rwandan troops based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [61869]
Clare Short: DFID maintains regular contact with the FCO at both ministerial and official levels on the whole complex of issues surrounding the Great Lakes conflict, including the issue of Rwandan troops in the DRC.
Southern Africa
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the estimated amount of food aid required by the World Food Programme for the famine in Southern Africa is; and how much has been distributed. [62373]
Clare Short: The World Food Programme and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimate that 1.36 million tonnes of food will be required as humanitarian aid for six countries in Southern Africa identified as facing severe food shortages. Existing appeals have enabled WFP to purchase 120,000 of food and to begin distribution in the three countries worst affected.
This estimate does not include Angola which is being dealt with through a separate UN programme.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the World Food Programme's appeal for the famine in Southern Africa has been met; and how much the total UK contribution has been. [62375]
Clare Short: The World Food Programme's regional appeal for Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland in respect of the 2002–03 harvest year is expected this week.
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Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her assessment of the current food crisis in Southern Africa is, with particular reference to (a) the number of people at risk of famine and (b) the prospects of adequate harvests later in the year. [62374]
Clare Short: The Southern African countries identified by the World Food Programme as needing special assistance following reductions in agricultural production are Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. The number of people in these countries requiring emergency food supplies is expected to grow by March 2003 to 12.8 million. Winter crops now in the ground will meet only a small proportion of the food shortfall. Planting of the main maize crop begins in November with the onset of the rains. Prospects for the 2003 crop will largely depend on the amount and distribution of this rain, and on agricultural and economic policy in Zimbabwe where much of this year's shortfall has occurred.
Trade Justice Movement
Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with members of the Trade Justice Movement. [62308]
Clare Short: We hold regular meetings with members of the Trade Justice Movement and other NGOs to discuss trade and development issues. These include DFID NGO days, the DTI Trade Policy Consultative Forum and informal meetings. The last NGO day was attended by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development.
Asylum Seekers
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether UK funds disbursed via the European Union are to be tied to a country's policy towards asylum seekers. [62424]
Clare Short: The European Council at Seville will be discussing measures to encourage co-operation by third countries on returns and illegal migration. Her Majesty's
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Government believe that all inter-governmental relationships should be developed to encourage co-operation on these issues, but that nothing should be done which undermines the need to focus European Union aid on the reduction of poverty.
Environmental Know How Fund
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects by category and the amount spent on them under the Environmental Know How Fund in 2001–02. [61131]
Clare Short: In 2001–02, DFID spent approximately £6.675 million on environmental projects in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. This total includes a £2 million contribution from DEFRA. A list of projects and their expenditure in 2001–02 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
TREASURY
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the total real terms expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non- departmental public bodies on publicity in each of the years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) 2001–02 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole of the present year; and if he will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (A) advertising and (B) press and public relations. [36163]
Ruth Kelly: The available information is given in the following table. The figures relating to the Treasury are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information relating to the publicity is not available for the Valuation Office Agency. It would be inappropriate to give figures for advertising relating to the Royal Mint in accordance with Exemption 13 (Commercial Confidentiality) of the Code of Access to Government Information. Neither the Inland Revenue nor Customs and Excise hire public relations consultancy services, and each has its own press office financed through its normal operational costs.
(16) Launched 1 April 1998
(17) Launched 1 April 2000
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Inland Revenue advertising costs in 2000–01 reflect the concurrent running of several campaigns, such as working families tax credit, children's tax credit, payroll giving, income tax self assessment and pay as you earn online. Customs and Excise expenditure in the 2000–01 period includes the costs of campaigns following on from the Taylor report and Tackling Tobacco Strategy, as well as a centralisation of the communications budget. Expenditure by the Office for National Statistics in the periods 2000–01 and 2001–02 reflect the cost of publicising the Census.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 2002–03 will be accounted for by staff costs; what the figures were for 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [61032]
Ruth Kelly: Reliable estimates for 2002–03 spending to 31 May are not available. Estimated outturn spending figures for 2001–02 can be found in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2002–03, published in May 2002 as Command Paper 5401.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions between 31 March 2001 and 31 March 2002 (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost. [58737]
Ruth Kelly: Special advisers' travel accompanying Ministers was set out in my answer to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) of 1 May 2002, Official Report, column 879W. Advisers have also travelled abroad on seven other occasions, at an average cost of £1,490 per visit, to Madrid, Switzerland, Stockholm, Washington, Toronto and to Paris twice. All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
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