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11 Jun 2003 : Column 868W—continued
Southern Africa
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what plans the Department has for making affordable fertiliser available to smallholders in Southern Africa in the (a) short term and (b) long term. [117847]
Hilary Benn: For the longer term, DFID is working with partners in the region to promote improved access by smallholder farmers to agricultural inputs and credit from the private sector. In the short term, we are in several countries supporting the Food and Agriculture Organisation, governments and non-government organisations in providing fertilisers and other critical inputs to poor farmers. We are for example continuing support to the National Targeted Inputs programme in Malawi, which aims to provide free fertiliser and seed to the poorest farmers.
World Summit on Sustainable Development
Mr. Horam: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review. [113874]
Hilary Benn: DFID's current delivery plans relate to the 2003–06 PSA and SDA targets that were agreed upon as part of the 2002 Spending Review. These targets predate the WSSD, so not all of the WSSD commitments are covered. Our delivery plans will evolve and they will incorporate WSSD commitments when they are appropriate to delivery of our PSA and SDA targets. Our PSA and SDA targets will be reconsidered during the next Spending Review.
The WSSD reaffirmed commitment to the Millennium Development Goals—the achievement of which lies at the heart of our PSA and SDA targets—
and many of our WSSD commitments are covered in existing plans: for example, climate change, finance for development, support to PRSPs (Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers), and trade are all covered.
PRIME MINISTER
Iraq
Linda Perham: To ask the Prime Minister when he will make a statement on what chemical or biological weapons have been found in Iraq. [116054]
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The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June 2003, Official Report, columns 147–50.
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress in implementation of the paper, A Vision for Iraq and the Iraqi People, arising from the Azores Atlantic Summit in March. [117624]
The Prime Minister: In the 10 weeks since we set out our "Vision for Iraq and the Iraqi people" the Coalition, and more recently the wider international community, has made significant progress towards implementing it. Saddam Hussein, his regime and the threat they posed with weapons of mass destruction have been removed by the Coalition. The Iraqi people are now able to live in peace, build the foundations for democracy and good governance and pave the way for real prosperity. As each day passes the CPA are helping the Iraqis to restore essential services, especially health and education.
UN Security Council Resolution 1483 aims to help restore security and stability to enable Iraqis to form their own political future through a representative government based on the rule of law that affords equal rights and justice to all citizens.
Resolution 1483 has also lifted sanctions and called on UN member states to assist Iraq with humanitarian aid, ensure Iraqis will benefit from their oil revenue, and stresses the need to address Iraq's debt.
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee since the end of active hostilities in Iraq in respect of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. [117628]
The Prime Minister: I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library copies of the pre-publication drafts of his dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. [117630]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June, Official Report, columns 147–50.
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what the source was of his statement in the preface to the dossier, Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction, dated 24 September 2002, that the Iraqi regime's military planning allows for some of the weapons of mass destruction to be ready within 45 minutes of an order to use them; and on what evidence he based his assessment of the truth of this claim. [117631]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June, Official Report, columns 147–50.
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Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister when he first agreed in principle with the US Administration that British forces would take part in a war against Iraq; and what (a) conditions and (b) circumstances he required to be satisfied for their use in military operations. [117963]
The Prime Minister: The decision to resort to military action to ensure that Iraq fulfilled its obligations imposed by successive UN Security Council Resolutions was taken only after other routes to disarm Iraq had failed. I decided to commit United Kingdom forces after securing the approval of the House in the vote on 18 March.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the benefits obtained by the United Kingdom from the participation of British forces in the Iraq war. [118474]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith), Official Report, column 150 and to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd), Official Report, column 156, at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June.
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to publish in full the report of the Intelligence and Security Committee into Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. [117981]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June, Official Report, columns 147–50.
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Prime Minister (1) when the Joint Intelligence Committee first told him of the possibility of Iraqi forces being able to launch a biological or chemical attack within 45 minutes; and whether the information was provided (a) verbally and (b) in writing; [117982]
- (2) which of his (a) cabinet and (b) special advisers were told of the briefing from the Joint Intelligence Committee about the possibility of Iraqi forces being able to launch a biological or chemical attack within 45 minutes prior to the publication of the information. [117983]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June 2003, Official Report, columns 147–50.
Joint Intelligence Committee
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the membership, with each member's qualifications, of the Joint Intelligence Committee. [117629]
The Prime Minister: The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) is chaired by a senior Cabinet Office official and brings together the producers of intelligence and their main customer departments. Members comprise the Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, senior officials from the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office, Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Department of
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Trade and Industry and the Treasury, the Heads of the three intelligence and security agencies and the Chief of Assessments Staff.
Mental Health
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many of his staff have taken sick leave due to mental health problems in the last year. [111979]
- (2) how many sick days were lost over the last year by his Office through staff mental health problems. [111993]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) gave him today, at column 890W.
Ministerial Responsibilities
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for children; and what their specific responsibilities are. [117932]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr. Allen) on 20 November 2002, Official Report, columns 139–40W.
The responsibilities referred to in respect of the then Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) are currently held by my hon. Friend for Stretford and Urmston (Ms Hughes).
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