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Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate the causes of the difficulties encountered by some Solihull constituents in (a) seeking working tax credit and child tax credit and (b) making telephone contact with the Inland Revenue; and if he will make a statement on the compatibility and mutual recognition of relevant departmental computer systems. [114792]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made in the House on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 53.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many employees have been seconded from Capita to her Department since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held. [115628]
Hilary Benn: There have been no secondments from Capita to the Department since 1997.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what discussions he has had with the government of Malawi regarding the treatment of AIDS patients in the Queen Elizabeth Teaching Hospital in Blantyre. [116407]
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Hilary Benn: DFID's development programme in Malawi has a substantial focus on HIV/AIDS but Queen Elizabeth Hospital is not targeted specifically. £10 million is provided to support the provision of sexual and reproductive health services through a local non-governmental organisation (Banja la Mtsogolo) in which HIV/AIDS counselling for young people and other vulnerable groups is a key component. A further £3.5 million is planned to help improve effectiveness of the National AIDS Commission. £1.9 million has been allocated to improve DFID's response to HIV/AIDS in sectors other than health, and to strengthen the capacity of other donors to implement AIDS programmes.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what arrangements have been made to ensure delivery of the Millennium Development Goals on water and sanitation in terms of (a) ministerial responsibility, (b) departmental structure and (c) budget allocation. [116841]
Hilary Benn: The Secretary of State is the Minister responsible for the delivery of all MDGs. I hold responsibility within the Department for the specific goals on water and sanitation.
DFID supports an integrated approach to sanitation, water supply, and hygiene to improve health and combat poverty. Expenditure on specific water sector or related projects and programmes has remained roughly constant over the past three years; estimated at £82 million in 19992000, £91 million in 200001 and £87 million in 200102. However, DFID's budget allocation is managed on a country rather than sector basis; our recent departmental report 2003 provides this information.
The work DFID does has regard to what other donors are doing, and to our comparative advantage. In the water sector we have developed a role focused on improving policy. The provision of direct budget support (£296 million in 200102) rather than funding projects has given us this leverage, particularly in Africa. A small proportion of the budget allocated through direct budget support may go directly to the water sector, but the main contribution of budget support to meeting the water/sanitation MDGs is through improvements in public sector capacity and governance. We continue to push for the inclusion of sanitation, water supply and hygiene in individual country Poverty Reduction Strategies Papers (PRSPs).
DFID also provides funds, which may include spending on water, through a number of multilateral channels. DFID continues to work to ensure aid efficiency and for example, is currently engaged in the EU Water Initiative, which aims to improve the efficiency of existing financing mechanisms for water infrastructure through better donor co-ordination between member states.
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Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what representations the Department has made to the government of Rwanda regarding the ban on the Mouvement Democratique Republicain. [116703]
Hilary Benn: We are continuing to encourage the government of Rwanda to set out publicly how they plan to open up political space and ensure inclusive elections this year, and how they can reassure the international community of their commitment to due process and transparency in dealing with the dissolution of the MDR and actions against individuals.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department intends to send the appeal papers to the Independent Appellate Authority in the case of Mr. N.A., ref KA417109, who has been refused entry clearance from HM High Commission in Islamabad. [116489]
Mr. Rammell: I am withholding the information requested under exemption 5 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
It is not our practice to disclose details of individual entry clearance cases in a public forum. However, I will write to the hon. Member with regard to this matter.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds have been paid from the United Nations to (a) his Department and (b) the Government in respect of peacekeeping duties carried out by UK armed forces operating under the auspices of that organisation in each of the past 10 years. [115330]
Mr. Rammell: Her Majesty's Government is reimbursed at a set rate in respect of peacekeeping duties carried out by UK armed forces. These reimbursements are made to Her Majesty's Treasury.
For 200203, we have, so far, received £2,674,367.30; the final quarter remains to be paid. We estimate this will be around £900,000.
HMG received d£3,594,654.20 from the UN for financial year 200102.
Figures for the eight-year period prior to 200102 are not held centrally. This could only be provided by the UK Mission to the UN, at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on surrendering vetos over policy areas in the proposed European constitution. [116159]
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Mr. MacShane: More Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) is essential to push through our solutions to Europe-wide problems in key areas, such as immigration and asylum and to promote the completion of the single market.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the main unresolved issues are in the Convention on the Future of Europe. [116162]
Mr. MacShane: The Convention on the Future of Europe is due to present its conclusions to the European Council on 20 June. The Government will continue to work within the Convention to achieve the best deal for the UK. Final decisions will be taken only by Heads of State and Government by unanimity at the Inter-Governmental Conference.
All aspects of the draft constitutional treaty continue to be debated in the Convention.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who would settle a dispute over powers between the EU and the United Kingdom under the proposed draft constitution. [116164]
Mr. MacShane: Article 230 of the Treaty establishing the European Community provides that the European Court of Justice shall review the legality of acts of the institutions. For this purpose, it has jurisdiction, inter alia, in actions brought by the member states on grounds of lack of competence. The draft constitutional treaty maintains a similar provision.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the current draft of the EU constitution will require amendment to the European Communities Act 1972 if it is accepted by member states. [116169]
Mr. MacShane: As has been the case with previous treaties amending the original treaty structure, any amending treaty or new constitutional treaty agreed upon by the member states in the next Intergovernmental Conference would have to be laid before Parliament, and any necessary amendments to the European Communities Act 1972 passed by Parliament, before it could be ratified.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have died in the Congo in each of the last 10 years, broken down by gender; what percentage of the population this represented in each year; and what recent discussions he has had with the UN about the conflict. [116743]
Mr. Rammell: Reliable information on the number of deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the last 10 years is unavailable. But media reports have suggested that more than four million people may have died as a result of the current war. Most were civilians. The DRC's population is estimated at 52 million.
We are in regular discussion with the UN about the conflict in the DRC. The UN Secretary General has asked the UK and others to contribute to an
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international rapid deployment force for Ituri (North East DRC). We think it is important to contribute to this force, to support the UN and the DRC peace process. The UK will, therefore, participate in the Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF). We are in consultation with those involved about the most appropriate and effective contribution the UK can make.
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