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4 Apr 2003 : Column 926W—continued
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Afghanistan
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received on heroin production in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime; and what steps her Department is taking to tackle heroin production in Afghanistan. [106115]
Clare Short: I receive regular Parliamentary Questions and letters from Members of Parliament and others on opium production in Afghanistan.
The UK is the lead partner nation to the Afghanistan Transitional Administration on counter-narcotics. The Government as a whole is working with the Afghans to support a comprehensive strategy to eliminate opium production in Afghanistan within ten years. My Department is contributing to this effort by supporting the creation of sustainable, alternative, licit livelihoods for people in Afghanistan, including those involved in poppy production.
In addition to support for broad based rural economic development, we have provided £2.8 million to quick impact reconstruction projects, including in drug producing areas and is providing £1 million to an Aga Khan Foundation alternative livelihoods programme in and around poppy-growing areas in Badakshan, in north-eastern Afghanistan.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her estimate is of the expenditure of her Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002. [106300]
Clare Short: The Department no longer purchases newspapers, magazines and periodicals from a central budget, but full details of decentralised expenditure could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The central expenditure is shown in the table for the financial year 2002–03. These figures are provisional and subject to final audit.
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| £ | |
|---|---|
| Magazines and periodicals | 99,775 |
| Newspapers | 3,790 |
| Total cost | 103,565 |
International Aid
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what change there has been annually in overall levels of international aid since 1995; and what proportion of this aid has been directed to countries qualifying or seeking to qualify as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country during this period. [106188]
Clare Short: Overall levels of net official development assistance (oda) from all bilateral donors have fallen from $59.1 billion in 1995 to $52.3 billion in 2001—the latest year for which data are available. During that period, net oda to the 42 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) has also fallen from $19.0 billion to $15.9 billion, meaning that the proportion going to HIPC has remained relatively stable at just under one-third of all oda. The table shows the figures and percentages for each year.
| Total net oda | Total net oda to HIPC countries | Proportion of total oda given to HIPC countries | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $ billion | $ billion | percentage | |
| 1995 | 59.1 | 19.0 | 32 |
| 1996 | 55.8 | 17.0 | 30 |
| 1997 | 47.9 | 14.9 | 31 |
| 1998 | 50.1 | 15.0 | 30 |
| 1999 | 52.1 | 15.0 | 29 |
| 2000 | 53.7 | 14.7 | 27 |
| 2001 | 52.3 | 15.9 | 30 |
Source:
OECD-DAC.
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The list of HIPC countries is available in Statistics On International Development 1997–98–2001–02 page 145, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Non-governmental Organisations
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money her Department gives to each NGO with main headquarters located in the (a) US and (b) UK. [106925]
Clare Short: Details of the amounts granted to CSOs are available in Statistics on International Development 1997–98 to 2001–02, Table 14 page 140—a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Serbia and Montenegro
Mr. Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what level of aid the UK is providing to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. [106136]
Clare Short: Our bilateral programme for the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro (SAM), including Kosovo, will amount to £7.4 million in 2003–2004. Thiswill focus on supporting the economic and social reform and poverty reduction agendas of the governments of SAM. £2 million has also been committed from the Whitehall-pooled Global Conflict Prevention Fund to support policing, community safety and justice sector reform in Serbia. In addition DFID will contribute £39 million to the £201 million allocated by the EC for its 2003 programme in SAM (including Kosovo)
Staff Numbers
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff are employed by her Department. [106285]
Clare Short: I refer to the central answer being provided by the Cabinet Office on behalf of Government Departments.