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3 Jun 2003 : Column 279W—continued
Palestine
Richard Burden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2003, Official Report, column 523W if he will make a statement on the responses received from the Israeli Government to (a) UK and (b) EU representations on the impact of Israeli military action on Palestinian infrastructure and water supplies; and what indication the Israeli Government have given of a change in their policy. [115567]
Hilary Benn: The UK has not received any specific response from the Government of Israel to the representations we made about the impact of military action on Palestinian infrastructure and water supplies. Neither has the EU. The Government of Israel have not given any indication of an intention to change their policy. We will continue to press Israel to undertake confidence-building measures to support implementation of the Roadmap, and to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law.
Public Service Agreements
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds. [114459]
Hilary Benn: Information on DFID's PSA targets is published on the DFID website, on HMT's website and in the SR2002 White Paper. DFID publishes information on progress towards the targets twice a year, in the Departmental Report and in the Autumn Performance Report. In addition. the Treasury now publishes progress towards all the Government's PSA targets on its website. None of this publicity involves significant extra cost to the Department.
The NAO's April 2002 report on DFID's performance management highlighted that DFID's performance management framework complies with good practice in many respects. However, it also noted that many staff were not aware of DFID's Public Service Agreement targets or did not view them as an important influence on their activity. To address this, DFID instituted a wide ranging communication programme including videos, explanatory booklets, and presentations by Heads of
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Department. The total cost of the contract with the production company that produced the videos and other materials was approximately £72,000. This includes materials which we will use over the next three years for induction and training.
Redundancies
Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many redundancies there have been within DFID by (a) Department, (b) specialist area and (c) seniority since July 2002. [115356]
Hilary Benn: Sixteen members of DFID staff have left the Department under voluntary early departure arrangements since July 2002. Of these two have been members of the Senior Civil Service and 14 had been in management grades.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many projected redundancies there are within the Department, broken down by (a) internal department, (b) specialist area and (c) seniority. [115357]
Hilary Benn: Eight members of DFID civil service staff have accepted offers of voluntary early departure and are due to leave the Department between 22 May and 31 December 2003. All are in management grades. There are no current projections for further redundancies.
Sickness Absence
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years. [115854]
Hilary Benn: The number of staff on long-term sick absence was as follows:
- 1 April 2001—31 March 2002: 39
1 April 2002—31 March 2003: 39
Somalia
John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the levels of food security in southern Somalia following the flooding of the Juba and Shabelle river basins. [115735]
Hilary Benn: There has been localised flooding in the Juba and Shabelle river basins in Somalia, particularly in the Jowhar, Jamame, Bualle and Jilib districts. The risk of flooding has been compounded by farmers opening up river-banks to facilitate flood cultivation.
However, the general food security situation in Somalia is relatively good. The main sorghum and maize harvest of 2002 was up by as much as 40 per cent. from average years and 80 per cent. up on the 2001 harvest. The January 2003 (and secondary) harvest was also good and this rainy season (April/May), although late, has been above average.
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The UK is assisting efforts at political resolution of the conflict in Somalia, as well as continuing a humanitarian programme (with some £3 million per year), supporting agencies such as UNICEF, ICRC and MSF Spain in the Juba and Shabelle valleys. If the situation should worsen, or continue for any length of time, DFID would then consider providing further support.
John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact the closure of Al-Haramyn aid agency will have on humanitarian efforts in Somalia. [116715]
Hilary Benn: While the departure of any NGO providing humanitarian assistance in Somalia is unfortunate, the withdrawal of Al Haramayn's small Saudi team will not have a significant impact on the large international assistance programme to the country. It is still unclear what will happen to the children who benefited from Al Haramayn's support to orphanages and schools. We and other members of the international community are making inquiries.
Sri Lanka
Mr. Key: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment the Department has made of the humanitarian consequences of recent monsoon floods in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement. [116622]
Hilary Benn: Following the disastrous floods in Sri Lanka and discussions with the government, DFID is providing £270,000 for immediate humanitarian relief. These funds are being channelled through UNHCR, OXFAM and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). DFID representatives visited Ratnapura last week to assess the situation and monitor distribution of non-food items.
Sudan
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Southern Sudan. [115419]
Hilary Benn: Urgent humanitarian needs remain in Sudan, including in south Sudan. High rates of malnutrition, epidemic levels of disease, and destitution caused by forced movement of people mean that a continuing humanitarian response will be necessary. DFID has so far in 2003 funded £7.7 million worth of humanitarian support.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent discussions he has had with non-governmental organisations working in Sudan. [115418]
Hilary Benn: DFID staff regularly meet NGOs working in north and south Sudan, both here and in Sudan, on a bilateral and group basis. International and Sudanese NGOs took part in a recent conference in the Netherlands on priority setting for development when peace comes; NGOs will have a key role to play when it does. It will be important for NGOs to focus on poverty-reduction to deliver real benefits to the Sudanese people.
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Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the fighting and humanitarian situation in Dafur. [115420]
Hilary Benn: We are concerned about the escalation of fighting in Darfur. The situation is unpredictable in EI-Fashir and Geneina, and tense in Nyala. Movement of people and goods will remain difficult while the fighting persists. There is a need to expand humanitarian access to drought affected people in west and north Darfur and vulnerable people in south Darfur. The Government of Sudan is concerned for the safety of' humanitarian aid workers but hopes to improve humanitarian access in the near future.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of human rights violations in (a) Sudan and (b) Dafur, Sudan. [115421]
Hilary Benn: The protection of human rights for all in Sudan, including in Darfur, is a high priority in our contacts with the Sudanese authorities, both bilaterally (through the embassy) and through the continuing EU dialogue with both the Government of Sudan and the SPLM. The embassy in Khartoum will arrange to visit Darfur as soon as the security situation permits, and we will continue to press for improvements in human rights.
EU Heads of Mission raised Darfur in their meeting with Dr. Mutrif, Permanent Under Secretary equivalent, at the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 22 May.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will take steps to send an independent international commission of inquiry to Dafur. [115422]
Hilary Benn: We are, of course, concerned about the situation in Darfur, including human rights and raise it regularly with the Sudanese authorities. My right hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham Ladywood raised it with the First Vice-President of Sudan last month.
There are still problems of access to Darfur, but the Embassy in Khartoum will arrange a visit as soon as the security situation permits.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what progress is being made in southern Sudan on the control of Guinea worm. [116402]
Hilary Benn: The number of cases of Guinea worm (Dracunculiasis) worldwide has dropped 98 per cent. from 3.5 million to 50,000, in only a little more than 10 years. Results have been so promising that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has targeted Guinea worm as only the second disease, after smallpox, to be eradicated. Sudan is home to nearly 80 per cent. of the world's remaining cases (and of these as many as 99 per cent. are in the south), and therefore, clearly a target for continuing eradication efforts.
The WHO considers Guinea worm is a promising candidate for successful eradication for a number of reasons: diagnosis is easy; the vector (Cyclops) is not very mobile; the Guinea worm has a short incubation
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period in the vector and in humans; interventions are effective, cheap and simple; the disease has a limited geographic distribution and is seasonal; success has been demonstrated in several countries in Asia and the Middle East; and there is no known animal reservoir.
Although there has been progress in Sudan, notably through the efforts of the Carter Center (a US-based NGO), a genuine and sustained peace will make eradication a real possibility. We will continue to offer the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and mediators our full support and to remain actively involved in helping them reach a comprehensive peace agreement in 2003.
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