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Written Answers to Questions

The following answers were received between 14 and 21 February 2003

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's annual budget for (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03 was allocated to Afghanistan (i) as a proportion of the total annual budget and (ii) in pounds sterling. [97486]

Clare Short: In financial year 2001–02, DFID allocated £60 million to Afghanistan. This represents 1.9 per cent. of my Department's annual budget for that year.

In the current 2002–03 financial year, the allocation for Afghanistan has been increased to £70 million. This represents 2.1 per cent. of my Department's annual budget for the current year.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial resources have been allocated for the year 2003–04 (a) as a percentage of her Department's budget and (b) pounds sterling for Afghanistan. [97487]

Clare Short: My Department has allocated at least £200 million for Afghanistan over the five years 2002–03 to 2006–07. We are currently reviewing our country allocations for the 2003–04 Resource Allocation Round. These will be published in the 2003 DFID departmental report.

Animal Welfare

Dr. Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to produce a statement of policy on animal welfare based on the report she commissioned entitled Human Development and Animal Welfare; and if she will make a statement. [97694]

Clare Short: We have used a commissioned study on Human Development and Animal Welfare to inform our thinking on animal welfare and livestock-dependent livelihoods. We have no plans to produce a statement of policy on animal welfare.

Health, Education and Water Provision

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of her Department's budget was spent on (a) health, (b) education and (c) water provision in each financial year 1998–99 to 2001–02. [97489]

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Clare Short: In the last complete financial year the bilateral aid programme represented 52 per cent. of my Department's spending. The proportion of the bilateral programme allocable by sector spent on health, education and water from 1998–99 to 2001–02 was:

Percentage

2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99

Health and population 20 22 20 17

Education 12 17 14 18

Water and Sanitation 4 4 4 4

	2001–02	2000–01	1999–2000	1998–99
Health and population	20	22	20	17
Education	12	17	14	18
Water and Sanitation	4	4	4	4

These figures represent expenditure on projects specific to these sectors but do not capture the full extent of our efforts in each policy area because they exclude multisector projects and programmes, strategic funding to civil society organisations and budget support and balance of payments. Also excluded are activities funded through multilateral channels.

Computer Crime

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft her Department recorded in 2001–02; and on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i) within and (ii) outside her Department. [97561]

Clare Short: The information is as follows:

1. No cases of either computer hacking or computer fraud were recorded in DFID during the period 2001–02.

2. Eight cases of computer theft were recorded during the same period. Seven of these involved the theft of laptop computers:

Three were taken from DFID premises

Two were lost in transit

Two were stolen in break-ins from private homes.

The eighth was a palmtop Personal Digital Assistant that was believed to have been taken from DFID premises.

3. There were no recorded incidents of DFID computer systems being illegally accessed by computer hackers either from within or from outside of the Department during the period 2001–02.

Departmental Consultations

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list consultations her Department has conducted since 1997; and when each consultation (a) opened and (b) closed [97435]

Clare Short: We do not keep a record of all consultations held since 1997 and it would involve disproportionate cost to compile such a list. However, all current consultations are now featured on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk), as well as being available in printed format.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to

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raise awareness of domestic violence in third world countries; and what developments are being made in providing services for victims. [97745]

Clare Short: Gender equality is an essential precondition for poverty eradication and upholding human rights. Addressing domestic violence is an important component of this work. My Department is making a substantial effort to raise awareness of this complex issue, through partnerships with many poor countries, and with the donor community, including the World Health Organisation, the International Labour Organisation and the UN Development Fund for Women. Support for legal literacy, and access to justice programmes, focus on women and address the root causes of disempowerment and vulnerability to violence—especially domestic, but also by police, and in prisons.

In working to meet our objective to increase women's personal security and reduce gender-based violence, we are supporting for example:

Reform and strengthening of criminal and civil law

Awareness-raising of women's rights among police and judiciary

Public information campaigns

Women's organisations

Improved knowledge and statistics

For illustration, DFID assistance is helping to establish the first family protection unit in the Arab world, providing £2 million over three years in Jordan. We are supporting work to sensitise the police in Bangladesh to violence against women, and counselling for the survivors of domestic violence (£4 million over five years). In Pakistan, we are assisting in the design of a comprehensive national strategy including awareness-raising through a national "zero tolerance" media campaign, and the building of referral systems to provide support and recourse for victims, and for community-based dispute resolution (£2 million over three years). In Uganda, we have supported pilot work to establish policy, procedures and practical measures at community level (£95,000). There are many other similar examples.

Iraq

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what financial resources have been allocated for the establishment of safe havens in Iraq in the event of war; [97484]

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(3) what financial resources have been allocated for the provision of shelter for Iraqi civilian refugees in (a) Turkey, (b) Syria, (c) Jordan, (d) Saudi Arabia, (e) Kuwait and (f) Iran, and their borders with Iraq, in the event of war. [97536]

Clare Short: My Department does not pre-allocate financial resources for response to humanitarian crises before they happen. DFID provides a contingency reserve of £100 million which we will draw on for the Iraqi emergency.

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DFID's funding for the UN and other humanitarian agencies includes provision for emergency preparedness for a variety of contingencies across the world. We are supplementing this funding with an additional £3.5 million contribution to support UN humanitarian contingency planning for Iraq, including the prepositioning of basic supplies by UN agencies including UNHCR. We also fund a programme of assistance to Iraqi Refugees in Iran, which is managed by AMAR Appeal, an NGO, and consists of the provision of emergency supplies and primary health care for refugees living both in and outside of official camps.

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what discussions she has had with Save the Children regarding research they have carried out on the impact of any impending war against Iraq on Iraqi children; and if she will make a statement; [97603]

(3) what discussions she has had with aid organisations regarding the possible impact of a war against Iraq on existing food aid deliveries; and if she will make a statement. [97602]

Clare Short: The Iraqi people, including the children who make up half of the population, are already vulnerable. The prevalence of low birth-weight babies has increased more than five times in the last 10 years. A sudden disruption to this already fragile situation, including to the UN Oil for Food programme on which 60 per cent. of Iraqi people are dependent, could lead to a spiralling human catastrophe.

My Department is holding regular discussions with the Ministry of Defence, the US, UN and others about ways to minimise the suffering of the Iraqi people. One key priority would be to re-establish the Oil For Food distribution network as quickly as possible if it is disrupted. We are also providing an additional £3.5 million funding for support to UN humanitarian contingency planning for Iraq, including the prepositioning of food and other essential supplies. My officials continue to discuss the humanitarian situation with NGOs, especially those who we are funding for ongoing humanitarian work in Iraq, including Save the Children.

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the United Nations regarding their estimates of the number of (a) children under five at risk of death, (b) mothers and children needing food and (c) people needing shelter in the event of a war in Iraq; and if she will make a statement. [97604]

Clare Short: My Department holds regular discussions with UN agencies about the humanitarian situation in Iraq and measures to respond to any crisis. United Nations planning estimates of the numbers who may be affected vary according to different scenarios of the extent and length of disruption to existing systems.

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Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what extra money is being made available for helping Iraq after possible military intervention. [97847]

Clare Short: DFID provides a contingency reserve of £100 million which we will draw on for the Iraqi emergency.

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