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International Development Association
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government will contribute to the 13th Replenishment of the International Development Association. [73105]
Clare Short: I have decided that the UK will contribute £900 million to the three-year, 13th Replenishment of IDA (IDA-13)—the concessional lending arm of the World bank. This represents a 10.1 per cent. share of IDA-13 donor resources, up from £511 million (7.3 per cent. share) at the last replenishment. The increase reflects the high importance the British Government attaches to IDA, which is one of the most effective channels for reducing poverty in the poorest countries.
The UK will also contribute up to an additional £100 million during the course of IDA-13 towards the cost of compensating IDA for the future loss in loan re-flows resulting from the provision of 18–21 per cent. of IDA-13 resources on grant terms. This contribution is conditional on donors agreeing an appropriate system for funding the enlarged grant provision at the IDA-13 Mid-Term Review in 2003.
Microcredit Summit
Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Ministers will represent the Government at the Microcredit summit plus five meeting in New York in November; and if she will make a statement. [71389]
Clare Short: I plan to attend the annual CGAP meeting in September in Morocco to join discussions on how to improve donor effectiveness in micro-finance, but I do not plan to attend the Microcredit summit as well.
DFID will be represented at the summit at official level. We have invited funding applications to enable would-be participants from developing countries to attend the event.
Afghanistan
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the level of forced labour and forced militarisation of refugees in refugee camps in Afghanistan. [71142]
Clare Short: We are aware of reports of forcible recruitment of young men, militia domination of camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) and sexual violence. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), in close co-ordination with the Afghan Transitional
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Administration (ATA), are currently investigating the reported security incidents and discussing what measures might be put in place to prevent further repetition.
Parliamentary Answers
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether it is her policy to ensure that documents referred to in parliamentary answers are available via her Department's website. [72273]
Clare Short: Where documents published by DFID are referred to in parliamentary answers, it is normal policy to have those documents available in print and in electronic form from the date of publication.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for how long she retains documents referred to in parliamentary answers on her Department's website. [72269]
Clare Short: Where documents published by DFID are referred to in parliamentary answers, it is normal policy to keep those documents available in print and in electronic form from the date of publication until they are superseded by a subsequent edition or, in the case of consultation documents, by the final version of the document.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) dates, (b) location and (c) sources were of attributable (i) articles, interviews or contributions for the media, books or other journals and (ii) speeches or presentations made in the public domain, by departmental special advisers since March 2001; who in her Department authorised the activity; and on what date this activity was recorded with the departmental Head of Information. [72249]
Clare Short: No such attributable activities were undertaken by departmental special advisers.
Liberia
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the levels of political violence in Liberia; and what discussions she has had with the British High Commission in Liberia regarding political violence. [71146]
Mr. Straw: I have been asked to reply.
We are very concerned at the escalation in fighting in Liberia and have called on all warring parties to declare a ceasefire and enter meaningful dialogue. We are also concerned that President Taylor has used the fighting to justify increased repression, including the imposition of a state of emergency. United National sanctions against Liberia have been effective in disrupting President Taylor's links with the RUF and made it harder for him to obtain weapons. We have urged all countries in the region to implement the sanctions vigorously.
There is no permanent British representation in Liberia. We monitor the situation closely from our embassy in Abidjan, and hope shortly to have an officer based in the American embassy in Monrovia, reporting to our embassy in Abidjan.
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DEFENCE
Salisbury Plain
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place to inform National Air Traffic Services of (a) military flying exercises and (b) artillery firing exercises in the vicinity of Salisbury Plain. [65196]
Mr. Ingram: The procedures for informing National Air Traffic Services Ltd. of all military flying and artillery firing exercises are laid down in the Aeronautical Information Publication. I have placed copies of the most relevant extracts from this document in the Library of the House.
Overseas Deployments
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK regular forces have been committed overseas in each month since 1 January. [69768]
Dr. Moonie: The table shows the average number and percentage of trained service personnel deployed on military tasks overseas in the first six months of 2002. This includes personnel deployed on operations (e.g. in Afghanistan) and ongoing commitments (e.g. in Cyprus).
| Number | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| 4th quarter 2001–02(2) | ||
| Navy (including Marines) | 5,270 | 14.1 |
| Army | 9,843 | 9.7 |
| Air Force | 4,574 | 9.3 |
| 1st quarter 2002–03(3) | ||
| Navy (including Marines) | 5,211 | 13.9 |
| Army | 9,992 | 9.9 |
| Air Force | 4,314 | 8.8 |
(2) January–March 2002
(3) April–June 2002
In addition to the above, we estimate that around 5–6 per cent. of trained service personnel are either preparing for, or recovering from, deployment on military tasks overseas.
Royal Hospital, Haslar
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the cost to the defence budget of (a) opening a diagnostic and treatment centre at Haslar and (b) closing it in 2007. [69265]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 15 July 2002]: The Ministry of Defence has not incurred any additional costs following the decision to allow the NHS to develop a Diagnostic and Treatment Centre (DTC) on the Royal hospital Haslar site. The NHS would incur any costs associated with the closure of the DTC.
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual running cost of the Royal hospital, Haslar was in the last year for which figures are available. [69263]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 15 July 2002]: The total operating cost of the Royal hospital, Haslar, including the financial arrangements for Ministry of Defence hospital unit, Portsmouth, for the financial year ending 31 March 2002, was £47.145 million.
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Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what value the Royal hospital, Haslar is assessed. [69262]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 15 July 2002]: As at 31 March 2002 the Defence Secondary Care Agency valued the Royal hospital, Haslar land and buildings at £34.555 million.
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the financial arrangements are between the Ministry of Defence and the national health service relating to the Royal hospital, Haslar. [69264]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 15 July 2002]: Following the inception of Ministry of Defence hospital unit (MDHU) Portsmouth on 1 April 2001, Portsmouth Hospitals Trust (PHT) assumed responsibility for the delivery of the majority of the clinical services on the Haslar site. Under the financial and contractual arrangements between the MOD and PHT, the Trust is responsible for ensuring sufficient staffing levels for the clinical services it manages on the Haslar site. The Trust has separate financial arrangements with the MOD concerning the employment of military medical and clinical staff and for the provision of treatment for service personnel, both at the RHH and across PHT. These arrangements are broadly similar to those in place in other MDHUs.
The Royal hospital, Haslar (RHH) is an MOD managed site. The estate and infrastructure is funded by the MOD. PHT pay the cost of any alterations to meet NHS requirements on the site. The financial arrangements also include payments by PHT for the use of RHH infrastructure and support services in MOD-retained Departments.
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