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People Trafficking

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of women who have been trafficked for sexual exploitation have returned to their home countries in the last three years. [108052]

Beverley Hughes: The Nationality, Asylum and Immigration Act 2002 created a new offence of trafficking for the purpose of controlling someone through prostitution, the relevant sections of which came into force on 10 February 2003. Given that the powers came into effect very recently there is no information yet held centrally about numbers of victims of this crime.

This information could only be obtained by examining the individual case files of every person removed under Immigration Act powers over the period in question.A voluntary returns scheme that will help reintegrate victims in their country of origin is currently under development and will be implemented later this year.

Police Complaints Authority

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role of the Police Complaints Authority in relation to non-territorial police forces. [107137]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) can form an agreement with non-territorial police forces by virtue of section 78 of the Police Act 1996. The PCA has such agreements with six non-territorial forces. Where no such agreement exists between a police force and the PCA, the Secretary of State can direct that one be reached. The PCA can involve itself in any investigation into a complaint or conduct matter that has been referred to the PCA by a territorial force.

Section 78 of the Police Act will be repealed next year, and will be replaced by sections 25 and 26 of the Police Reform Act 2002.

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Refugees

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason he has suspended operation of the 1959 Council of Europe Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees. [108214]

Beverley Hughes: Intelligence gathered by the Immigration Service shows that significant numbers of people who had been accepted as refugees elsewhere were coming to the UK and making asylum applications in false identities. We considered that suspending the UK's operation of the 1959 Council of Europe Agreement, which allowed refugees settled in certain countries to visit the UK without a visa, was a necessary step to tackle this abuse.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Parliamentary database

David Winnick: To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee what progress has been made in providing access for (a) hon. Members and (b) the general public to a comprehensive list of Members who have entered the House since 1979. [108437]

Michael Fabricant: The House of Commons Information Office provides a range of basic information about Members of Parliament on the Parliament website http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm including lists of Members by party and geographical area and the composition of the House by sex. Work has recently been undertaken to extend the database from which these lists are drawn to provide limited biographical information and details of the parliamentary careers of all those who have been Members of the House of Commons since May 1979. An early version of the database, which is not yet complete, is available to Members on the Parliamentary Intranet at http://hcll.hclibrary.parliament.uk/sections/hcio/members/mpssince 79.htm

Once work on checking and correcting the entries is complete, the Library will consider how this information can best be published in both electronic and paper formats.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Congo

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of people who have died in the conflict in the Congo since 1998; what action her Department is taking to deal with the humanitarian problems in the Congo; and if she will make a statement. [108201]

Clare Short: The International Rescue Committee has just published a new report on mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which puts the number of people who have died as a result of the war there since 1998 at between 3.3 million and 4.7 million. It is important to be clear however that the vast majority of these estimated deaths were from disease and malnutrition rather than combat.

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We welcome this report and hope that it will not be misrepresented. One of the conclusions is that the general rate of mortality and in particular the rate of death from violence in the east of the DRC has decreased dramatically (by 90 per cent.) over the past year.

The report's recommendations are welcome and are in line with Government efforts working with the UN and the South Africans to get the new Congolese Transitional Government installed in Kinshasa and for all foreign troops to withdraw as agreed in the Lusaka Peace Accord. Only Uganda has not honoured this commitment to withdraw fully. It is imperative that neighbouring states and groups in Kinshasa cease to provide funding and arms to factions in eastern Congo which are causing such suffering to the people of the region.

DFID is providing substantial help to efforts directed at reducing the suffering of civilians with urgent humanitarian needs in Congo. Last financial year DFID provided over £11.5 million through the UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross in response to their emergency appeals and through international NGOs in the following areas: health, nutrition, refugees.

The UK continues to play a major part in the international effort to bring this conflict to an end so that the long-suffering people of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda can look forward to a future of peace, stability and development.

Humanitarian Crises

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what money she has set aside from her Department's 2003–04 budget for the humanitarian crisis in (a) Southern Africa, (b) Ethiopia and (c) Afghanistan. [108019]

Clare Short: The current position is as follows:

(a) Southern Africa: DFID's 2003–04 programme budget for countries in Central and Southern Africa is £179 million. It has not yet been determined what proportion will be allocated for humanitarian assistance.

(b) Ethiopia: £19 million has been allocated to Ethiopia for 2003–04, of which just under half has been earmarked for humanitarian assistance. However, we continue to closely monitor the situation in Ethiopia and additional funds will be made available if necessary.

(c) Afghanistan: My Department is committed to provide at least £40 million official development assistance to Afghanistan in 2003–04. We do not budget separately for humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan.

Iraq

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans are in place to ensure early access for UN agencies and international aid agencies into Basra. [107940]

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Clare Short: The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) are already operating in Basra.

Most humanitarian agencies require a permissive security environment before they can operate in Iraq. The Office of the UN Security Co-ordinator (UNSECOORD) provides security advice to the UN humanitarian agencies. Security updates are also being provided through the Humanitarian Operations Centre in Kuwait. NGOs are being issued passes to cross the Kuwait/Iraq border by the Humanitarian Operations Centre in Kuwait. Once the situation allows, NGOs will need to undertake their own security assessments before engaging.

The military are discharging their humanitarian obligations under the Geneva and Hague conventions in order to provide relief in the interim in the territory they occupy. The military fully appreciates the need to hand over to humanitarian agencies as soon as the situation allows.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Treasury on reimbursement of sums drawn from DFID's contingency reserve for Iraq this year. [107941]

Clare Short: I have allocated £75 million of DFID's contingency reserve to humanitarian assistance in Iraq. On 27 March the Chancellor of the Exchequer allocated £120 million from HM Treasury's central reserve to DFID for its work in Iraq and set aside an extra £60 million on 9 April for DFID to apply to draw on if it is needed.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information her Department has received regarding an outbreak of diarrhoea in Basra. [108039]

Clare Short: My Department is not aware of an outbreak of diarrhoea in Basra. We are aware of a report on 4 April from a health worker in nearby Um Kail of increased incidences of diarrhoea.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with Stevedoring USA on the running of the port Umm Qasr. [108040]

Clare Short: My Department has had no discussions with Stevedoring Services of America.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the World Food Programme regarding the mass distribution of food in Northern Iraq. [108041]

Clare Short: The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that food stocks have been diminishing in northern Iraq but has recently delivered 850 tonnes of wheat flour to Northern Iraq from Turkey. This is the first part of an initial 6,000 metric tonne consignment expected to be delivered in the coming days. They intend to use these stocks to replenish the Oil for Food Programme distribution system, which has to a greater or lesser extent remained operational in Northern Iraq.

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Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with international aid agencies to undertake urgent humanitarian relief work in Northern Iraq. [108042]

Clare Short: My Department has regular discussions with international aid agencies and NGOs on the humanitarian situation in northern Iraq.

Within the last week, we have received the following reports of humanitarian assistance being provided within northern Iraq. The World Food Programme have been able to deliver 850 tonnes of wheat flour to northern Iraq from Turkey, which is the first part of an initial 6000 metric tonne consignment expected to be delivered in the coming days. Twelve further UNICEF trucks are also en route to the north. The World Health Organisation is supporting local health providers to assess disease outbreaks. The Mines Action Group (MAG) is undertaking mine clearance. Save the Children Fund UK are providing food and non-food items to internally displaced people sites. HelpAge international is continuing to assist vulnerable, elderly populations.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of the situation of the poorest families in Northern Iraq. [108043]

Clare Short: Reports from UN agencies indicate that a total of approx 260,000 people have been newly displaced in northern Iraq since the onset of the current crisis, though some have returned to their homes. Approximately 90 per cent. of these are staying with families or friends. The needs of the remainder are being met by local authorities and humanitarian agencies. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that food stocks have been diminishing in northern Iraq.

Detailed needs assessments will be carried out once there is a permissive security environment.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many tonnes of food have been imported into Iraq via Umm Qasr. [108044]

Clare Short: The Royal Navy ships the Sir Galahad and the Sir Percivale have delivered some 600 tonnes of humanitarian aid into Umm Qasr, and UK forces are working to ensure that the port can be opened to commercial shipping as soon as possible. This will allow merchant ships carrying Oil for Food Programme stores and other supplies to enter the port.

In addition, NGOs working from Kuwait are transporting large quantities of aid overland to Umm Qasr, for onward distribution in southern Iraq.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which aid agencies have refused to accept funding for their work in Iraq. [108050]

Clare Short: The British Overseas Aid Group (BOAG) has announced that Oxfam, Christian Aid, Action Aid and Cafod will not accept funds from the UK government for their work in Iraq.

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Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the operation of the Oil for Food programme. [107939]

Clare Short: On 28 March the UN Security Council unanimously approved resolution 1472 giving the Secretary General authority to adapt the Oil for Food Programme (OFF) to changed circumstances so that it could continue to operate. While the UN, Red Cross and NGOs can provide assistance to cover a short gap in the OFF, with 16 million Iraqis totally dependant on the Programme and most families partially dependent, it is essential that the OFF fully resumes as soon as possible. The World Food Programme (WFP) concluded contracts last week to buy a further 400,000 metric tonnes of food aid for Iraq, which they intend to use to replenish the OFF distribution system. But they will only reach people if we can keep the distribution system in place. This means helping Iraqis keep 55,000 separate outlets across the country operating. The WFP is taking a lead in monitoring and supporting the distribution network.

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