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Intellectual Property Rights

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she has recently consulted trade bodies and user groups about proposals to change the UK's powers over intellectual property rights in international forums. [88008]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Changes are under consideration in the Convention on the Future of Europe whose working documents are in the public arena. The work of the Convention has been drawn to the attention of industry and user representatives. Formal proposals have not yet emerged, but two relevant recommendations under discussion include a separate article for IP issues within a new EU treaty and extension of qualified majority voting to all areas of commercial policy including intellectual property. Further discussion on these issues will take place in the coming months.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to recommend changes to the division of responsibilities for intellectual property rights between the EU and the UK. [88009]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Changes are under consideration in the Convention on the Future of Europe. Formal proposals have not yet emerged, but two relevant recommendations under discussion include a separate article for IP issues within a new EU treaty and extension of qualified majority voting to all areas of commercial policy including intellectual property. Further discussion on these issues will take place in the coming months.

Small Business Charter

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the implementation of the Small Business Charter, announced at the Lisbon summit. [88045]

Nigel Griffiths: The UK and its European partners are continuing to implement the 10 key enterprise measures in the European Charter for Small Enterprises. The European Commission's second annual implementation report to the last Spring Council noted that progress has

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undoubtedly been made, but that there was clearly scope for further development. The Commission will produce its third annual implementation report early in 2003. This report will again take account of national reports. The UK's report recounted further progress across all areas in the period up to September 2002. The UK's report has been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abuja Talks

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the outcome of the talks in Abuja, Nigeria, organised by the African Development Bank and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, regarding Africa's agricultural problems, held on 11–12 December. [88078]

Clare Short: Talks on the NEPAD Vision for Agricultural Development and Food Security in Africa were held in Abuja from 11–12 December 2002. The talks pledged African governments and regional organisations to working on action plans and programmes on food security and agricultural development, to be implemented especially at a regional level. There was recognition of the opportunities presented by NEPAD and the need to prepare and implement short, medium and long-term bankable projects.

Afghanistan

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with regard to health programmes in Afghanistan, what monies (a) her Department has pledged, (b) her Department has delivered, (c) other G8 countries have pledged and (d) other G8 countries have delivered. [61757]

Clare Short: In the current financial year, we have disbursed #2 million to the World Health Organisation. This is in addition to funds that have supported NGOs working in the health sector through the QIPs (Quick Impact Projects) scheme. A further #1 million has also been earmarked for the health sector for this year. The manner in which it will be disbursed has yet to be decided. Capacity building for the Ministry of Health has, however, been flagged as a priority.

It is not possible at this time to give detailed information on the activities of other donors in the health sector. We have supported the Afghanistan Transitional Authority (ATA) in developing a database that will begin to capture such information from 2003. Aid pledged in support of health programmes is delivered in a variety of different manners: bilaterally, multilaterally and through the Afghan Reconstruction Trust fund.

However, we are aware of specific pledges for the health sector of at least US$100 million from donors, including the World bank, the Asian Development bank, USAID, GTZ, the EU, JICA and the Canadian and Norwegian Governments.

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Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions her Department has had with government ministers in Afghanistan to ensure the safety of Afghan girls attending school. [80562]

Clare Short: We are concerned about the reports of attacks on girls' schools in various parts of Afghanistan. Although we are only aware of a limited number of incidents and millions of girls are going back to school, this is a worrying signal of the threat to the equal status of women and girls in Afghanistan. This must be addressed through a comprehensive effort to improve gender equality. During my recent visit to Afghanistan I met the Afghan Affairs Minister, Dr. Habiba Sorabi, and representatives of women's groups. We discussed the factors affecting girls returning to school as well as the wider issue of women's rights.

African Development

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the US Government about the role of the Millennium Challenge Corporation in Africa; and if she will make a statement. [87872]

Clare Short: DFID has had frequent senior level contact with the US Administration on the development of its Millennium Challenge Account since it was announced in March this year. We have encouraged the USA to focus the Account's resources on the poorest countries, many of which are in Africa.

The US Administration has recently announced the criteria against which it proposes that the Millennium Challenge Corporation should manage the Account. But it is not yet clear how many, or which, African countries can be expected to qualify, or how much of the funding will go to Africa.

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the members of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, regarding the role of the US Millennium Challenge Corporation in Africa. [87873]

Clare Short: Baroness Amos (the Prime Minister's G8 Special Representative on Africa) recently met G8 colleagues and NEPAD representatives in Accra to discuss implementation of the G8 Africa Action Plan, which includes a section on aid volume and effectiveness. The role of the Millennium Challenge Corporation in Africa was not discussed explicitly in Accra. We continue to work with African governments and other donors on aid effectiveness and are encouraging the US Administration to focus the work of the Millennium Challenge Corporation on low income countries, many of which are in Africa.

African Union

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which member states of the African Union have adopted the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance. [87215]

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Clare Short: The Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance was jointly made by all member states of the African Union at the inaugural Durban meeting of the African Union in June 2002. It affirms commitment to the governance codes and standards which will be used as the basis for peer reviews.

Good Governance

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the Treasury on the interaction between the new US Government programme to reward emerging markets that meet their criteria of good governance and the Chancellor of the Exchequer's new International Development Finance Facility. [87874]

Clare Short: The UK's proposal to establish a new International Financing Facility would allow participating Governments to disburse resources through existing effective bilateral and multilateral mechanisms. If the US Government wishes, this could include the US Millennium Challenge Account. The Government's view is that an increased share of development assistance should go to the countries in which aid is used most effectively, i.e. countries with high levels of poverty and a good policy environment, and be delivered through development agencies which share a commitment to the improved management of aid. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and I and our respective Departments are working closely together on this proposal.

Health Care and Education

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries her Department has financed (a) health care and (b) education projects that have involved an element of privatisation. [87428]

Clare Short: My Department is focused on improving health and education services for the poor and favours policies that achieve this objective. We do, however, recognise the importance of the private sector in delivering services to the poor. For example, 50–80 per cent. of all health care expenditures in developing countries are through the private sector. In parallel to our work to strengthen public sector health systems, DFID support to private sector providers seeks to increase access to high quality health services for the poor. Examples of interventions include support to social marketing of condoms and contraceptives and bed nets to prevent malaria.

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