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24 Feb 2003 : Column 5W—continued
Kyrgyzstan
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the UK aid budget was given to Kyrgyzstan in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [97165]
Clare Short: Figures on the total UK bilateral programme spend within which Kyrgystan is included is shown in the table:
| Total UK programme | Spend Krygystan | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 1,439 | 0.5 |
| 1998–99 | 1,382 | 0.5 |
| 1999–2000 | 1,655 | 1.2 |
| 2000–01 | 1,758 | 1.5 |
| 2001–02 | 1,954 | 1.8 |
In addition the following amounts of UK funds were channelled through multilateral organisations, on a calendar year basis, over the same period:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 11.6 |
| 1998 | 9.1 |
| 1999 | 2.8 |
| 2000 | 5.9 |
Laptops
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many laptop computers were used by (a) Ministers and special advisers and (b) officials in her Department in each year since 1995; how many were (i) lost and (ii) stolen; what their cost was; and if she will make a statement. [97502]
Clare Short: In September 2001 there was a change in the system used by my Department for recording the number of laptops in the temporary loan pool. All previous records have been destroyed. There are currently 134 laptop computers in the pool and they are available for use by Ministers, special advisers and officials in my Department.
The number of laptops purchased by DFID by financial year is as follows:
| Financial year | Number of laptops purchased |
|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 57 |
| 1996–97 | 185 |
| 1997–98 | 121 |
| 1998–99 | 125 |
| 1999–2000 | 148 |
| 2000–01 | 265 |
| 2001–02 | 251 |
| 2002–03 (to date) | 308 |
A total of 20 laptop computers were stolen during the 7-year period 1 April 1995 to 31 March 2002 . None were lost. The breakdown by financial years with costs is as follows:
24 Feb 2003 : Column 6W
| Number of laptops | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 2 | 2,387.50 |
| 1996–97 | 2 | 1,986.00 |
| 1997–98 | 2 | 2,732.00 |
| 1998–99 | Nil | |
| 1999–2000 | 3 | 4,420.00 |
| 2000–01 | 8 | 8,678.56 |
| 2001–02 | 3 | 3,497.25 |
Online Sales/Purchases
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) products, (b) goods and (c) services were (i) bought and (ii) sold online by her Department in each of the last five years. [97463]
Clare Short: DFID purchases a small range of low value goods online, mainly IT peripherals, stationery, books and office equipment. Total expenditure records are not held centrally and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. DFID does not currently purchase services on-line.
DFID has started using the Government Procurement Card, which will increase our electronic purchasing. We do not sell products, goods, or services.
Overseas Assistance
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial resources from the UK Government have been (a) pledged and (b) transferred to (i) Afghanistan and (ii) Kosovo, broken down by (A) Government Department and (B) departmental budget heading. [98005]
Clare Short: In July 1999, DFID pledged £90 million in humanitarian assistance to Kosovo. This was followed by a further pledge of £29 million in November 1999. In February 2001, we pledged a further £6.95 million as budget support and £5 million as technical assistance for 2001.
Since these pledges were made, we have disbursed £108 million as humanitarian aid, £14 million as budgetary support and £8.6 million as technical assistance. In addition, we have contributed substantially through our share of the EC's development assistance to Kosovo, which has amounted to £122 million since 1999.
On Afghanistan, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her at column 1W above.
We are unable to provide details of funding from other Government Departments, as this information is not held centrally.
24 Feb 2003 : Column 7W
Reproductive Health Services
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list her Department's bilateral funding commitments to reproductive health services in each country in 2001. [97672]
Clare Short: The following table shows DFID commitments, including multi year commitments, made under the bilateral programme, to reproductive health activities, including HIV/AIDS, in 2001–02:
| Country | Commitments |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 6,940,159 |
| Belarus, Republic of | 150,000 |
| Burma | 236,295 |
| China | 150,000 |
| Congo, Dem Rep | 379,248 |
| Ethiopia | 300,000 |
| Ghana | 60,000,000 |
| India | 499,750 |
| Kenya | 3,500,000 |
| Malawi | 30,922,100 |
| Moldova, Republic of | 150,000 |
| Mongolia | 250,000 |
| Montserrat | 538,953 |
| Mozambique | 10,340,000 |
| Nigeria | 158,609 |
| Pakistan | 4,380,052 |
| Peru | 7,500,000 |
| Russian Federation | 5,900,000 |
| Rwanda | 3,000,000 |
| Senegal | 250,000 |
| Sierra Leone | 1,994,010 |
| South Africa, Republic of | 7,717,301 |
| Sudan | 220,000 |
| Tanzania | 35,250,000 |
| Uganda | 985,656 |
| Zambia | 769,490 |
| Zimbabwe | 12,915,000 |
| Total | 195,396,623 |
World Trade Organisation
Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy to encourage the World Trade Organisation to (a) give a higher priority to and (b) treat with greater urgency issues brought by poor countries under special and differential treatment. [97960]
Clare Short: We are giving high priority to the issue of special and differential treatment for developing countries in the WTO. An effective system of special and differential treatment is a key element in ensuring that the current round of WTO negotiations is truly a development round. Special and differential treatment needs to ensure that the implementation of WTO rules and efforts to negotiate and implement future disciplines make sense from a development perspective.
DFID is working with other key partners such as the World bank in order to push this issue forward. As part of this on-going programme of work, DFID will be hosting a seminar on special and differential treatment on 7 March this year which will be attended by representatives of the WTO, UNCTAD, the World bank, and developing country Governments, as well as NGOs and academics working in the area.
24 Feb 2003 : Column 8W
NORTHERN IRELAND
Airport Policing
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why PSNI officers are not permanently stationed at Belfast City Airport; and if he will make a statement. [94450]
Jane Kennedy: The Police Service of Northern Ireland are not employed in an overt policing role at any airport in Northern Ireland, including Belfast City Airport. The provision of armed police at Belfast City Airport is currently being considered by Belfast City Airport.
Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will confirm whether there will be a difference in the treatment of gas pipeline companies involved in gas transportation for Northern Ireland whose pipelines would be designated under the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003. [98365]
Mr. Pearson: All discussions to date with interested parties regarding the postalisation of gas conveyance charges in Northern Ireland have been conducted in an open and transparent manner. All future issues pertaining to the designation of pipelines and the implementation of postalisation will be dealt with in the same manner. In implementing postalisation, the Department will of course comply with its legal obligations including those under Community Law such as Article 3, paragraph 1 of Directive 98/30EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas, which requires Member States not to discriminate between natural gas undertakings such as pipeline operators as regards either rights or obligations.
Firefighters' Dispute
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the impact of the firefighters' dispute in Northern Ireland. [98332]
Mr. Browne: Throughout the periods of industrial action by the Fire Brigades Union, the emergency fire cover service provided by the armed forces, supported by the police service for Northern Ireland and the retained firefighters who were not on strike, was able to deal effectively with all major fire-related and road traffic incidents. The armed forces operated well within capacity and there were no major disruptions to transport or other essential public services as a result of the dispute.
Although there were a number of road traffic fatalities and two fire-related deaths during the strikes, there are no indications that any of these deaths could have been avoided had normal fire cover been available.
We have always maintained that the alternative fire arrangements provided by the armed forces cannot replicate the normal firefighting capability. I therefore welcome the Fire Brigades Union decision not to set any new strike dates and to again engage in a fresh round of
24 Feb 2003 : Column 9W
negotiations at the National Joint Council under the auspices of ACAS, to find a negotiated and fair settlement to this dispute.
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