| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 Jan 2003 : Column 549W—continued
Public-private Partnerships
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many departmental minutes issued by his Department were outstanding on 30 November 2002 that referred to public-private
14 Jan 2003 : Column 550W
partnerships, as included in Table B14 of the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund Accounts; and what their value was. [89414]
Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 13 January 2003]: There were none.
Royal Army Medical Corps
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regular and reserve units are entitled to use the badge of the Royal Army Medical Corps. [90340]
Dr. Moonie: All regular and reserve force personnel of the Royal Army Medical Corps are entitled to wear the badge of the Royal Army Medical Corps.
Royal Navy and Royal Marines
Families' Association
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the funding of the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Families' Association (RNRMFA); [90154]
- (2) when the new agency to replace the RNRMFA will be set up; what performance indicators have been set for the new agency; who will be responsible for monitoring those indicators; and if he will make a statement; [90187]
(3) who made the decision to withdraw funding for the RNRMFA; on what basis was the decision made to withdraw the funding; and if he will make a statement; [90155]
(4) what performance indicators have been set for the RNRMFA; which of these has not been met in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement; [90156]
(5) if he will make a statement on the independence of the agency that will replace the RNRMFA. [90158]
Dr. Moonie: Public funding for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Families' Association commenced under the terms of an agreed Charter in 1999. No formal performance indicators were set for the Association, but the Charter laid down its objectives and other requirements. Funding was withdrawn from October 2002 because the Association had consistently failed to meet its objectives, and had also failed to meet other requirements of the Charter, including the production of annual reports and accounts and the maintenance of an appropriate management structure. The decision to withdraw funding was made by the Second Sea Lord, as the top level budget holder accountable for these funds.
The Department's aim in setting up the Association was to develop an independent organisation to represent the views of Naval Service families. This remains our firm intention and we intend that a new body, with the title, 'Naval Families' Federation', will be in place this spring. We are considering a number of options to ensure that the new Federation grows safely into a well-managed and independent body, preferably with charitable status. This will include the use of carefully selected performance indicators, and the achievements of the Federation against these indicators will be monitored by the Second Sea Lord's Personal and Family Service staff.
14 Jan 2003 : Column 551W
Service Accommodation (Scotland)
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many single accommodation places there are for each of the services in each location in Scotland for (a) officers and (b) other ranks; how many service personnel could be accommodated on shore in Scotland if all the available accommodation was utilised; and if he will make a statement. [86391]
Dr. Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Terror Attacks
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities exist to protect Royal Naval (a) personnel, (b) ships, by class, and (c) shore bases from contamination by chemical, biological or radioactive attack. [89875]
Mr. Ingram: Royal Navy personnel have individual decontamination and protective equipment, which includes respirators, protective suit, boots and gloves and a range of medical countermeasures common across all three Services.
Royal Navy warships are equipped with both fixed and portable nuclear and chemical detection equipment. All Royal Navy ships, with the exception of the survey vessels, have a citadel as an integral part of their design. This area provides a positively pressurised, toxic-free environment supplied with filtered air. In the ships with no citadel, a range of 'sanctuary procedures' is followed to avoid ingestion of contaminated materials.
Ships can also be protected by spraying sea water over the upper deck to remove contamination and to minimise the subsequent decontamination effort. Likewise, ships carry equipment to decontaminate any aircraft and vehicles aboard.
There is a requirement for all RN personnel, ashore in the United Kingdom, to train annually to the NATO required standard for Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) protection and for contingency forces to be trained and equipped to operate in an NBC environment. There is no specific NBC protective equipment for shore bases, but the use could be made of ships alongside at the time of an attack and ad hoc decontamination facilities would be created.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what modifications there have been since 11 September 2001 in training of (a) Royal Naval and (b) Royal Marines personnel to deal with chemical, biological or radiological attack. [89876]
Mr. Ingram: The level of training given to Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel to deal with chemical, biological and nuclear attack post 11 September has been fully reviewed. As a result, one modification has been made to the training undertaken by personnel who are serving in warship and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. This is the re-introduction of practical nuclear biological and chemical (NBC) defence training as part of the core operational sea training syllabus. All naval personnel currently undertake a half day NBC defence training module prior to serving at sea at the facility located
14 Jan 2003 : Column 552W
within the Maritime Warfare School at Whale Island, in Portsmouth. An increased awareness of the NBC threat has been incorporated into all appropriate courses.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Ethical Banking
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contracts have been concluded as a result of the Government's commitment to support ethical banking. [89948]
Fair Trade
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what fair trade criteria she sets when deciding upon what suppliers to use. [89910]
Clare Short: We take every opportunity to promote the use of fair trade products. We do not normally set fair trade criteria when deciding what suppliers to use. The contract for DFID refreshment facilities does require that a range of fair trade products is available.
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries that have received help through the HIPC process who now have debt repayments that are sustainable; and if she will make a statement. [90042]
Clare Short: Twenty-six countries have qualified for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Of these, six countries (Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda) have reached their completion point and are receiving full debt relief. The remaining 20 (Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia) are receiving interim relief. The main objective of the initiative is to ensure that countries exit the HIPC process with sustainable levels of debt. The HIPC Initiative has the flexibility to provide, when appropriate, additional debt relief at completion point. The UK is pressing the World bank and the IMF to widen their approach to topping up, so that any HIPC eligible country facing unsustainable debts, that has demonstrated its commitment to poverty reduction and economic reform, should qualify for this additional relief.
Khmer Rouge
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Government are taking to promote bringing to justice members of the former Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. [90277]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
14 Jan 2003 : Column 553W
We are working with other interested states towards the establishment of a UN-supported tribunal to bring to justice those Khmer Rouge leaders most responsible for the atrocities committed during their regime (1975–79). We therefore welcome the recent resumption of talks between Cambodian and United Nations negotiators in New York. We remain prepared to offer advice and financial support for a UN-supported tribunal.
Swaziland
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of sex education, with particular reference to education about AIDS/HIV, for young people in Swaziland. [90410]
Clare Short: My Department believes that improved education about HIV/AIDS is a vital part in the effort to combat the epidemic. The Southern Africa Soul City Programme, which my Department is supporting, aims to educate young people through out-reach programmes that deal with de-stigmatisation, raising HIV/AIDS awareness and promoting behavioural change.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much money her Department gave towards AIDS/HIV programmes in Swaziland in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; [90014]
- (2) how much money her Department is giving towards AIDS/HIV programmes in Swaziland this year; and how the programmes will be delivered. [90013]
Clare Short: My Department currently supports the HIV/AIDS response in Swaziland through three technical assistance programmes covering the Southern Africa region: the SADC Regional HIV/AIDS programme that supports activities in Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland; the Central and Southern Africa HIV/AIDS programme that focuses on strengthening the response of multilateral organisations; and the Southern Africa Soul City Programme that uses mass media to promote awareness of HIV/AIDS. Our financial year expenditure through regional HIV/AIDS programmes has been:
| 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 |
|---|---|---|
| 831,527 | 761,134 | 851,565 |
It is not possible to specify the proportion of this which has been spent in Swaziland.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with NGOs on the food shortage in Swaziland; and if she will make a statement. [90015]
Clare Short: My Department has conducted two humanitarian assessment missions to Swaziland in the last three months. On both missions, local and international NGOs were consulted. The current humanitarian crisis in Swaziland is serious, and my Department is providing support through The World Food Programme.
14 Jan 2003 : Column 554W
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with King Mswati of Swaziland on (a) the provision of antivirus drugs and (b) the food shortage in that country, and if she will make a statement. [90016]
Clare Short: I have not had any discussions with King Mswati of Swaziland on (a) the provision of antiviral drugs or on (b) the food shortages, but my Department and the British High Commission is in regular touch with the Government of Swaziland.
Swaziland has benefited from our support to the World Food programme's regional humanitarian programmes covering also Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, and Angola.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |