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Widows

Mr. Colman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what financial assistance the Department is providing to projects to help widows in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Iraq, (c) Nigeria and (d) Angola. [118648]

Hilary Benn: DFID supports a number of projects in Afghanistan, Iraq and Nigeria to assist women; these are detailed as follows. DFID also provides un-earmarked core funding to UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women), which will be £3.6 million in 2003. This supports a partnership set out in an Institutional Strategy Paper agreed with UNIFEM in 1999. Women's human rights are central to all UNIFEM's programmes.

In Afghanistan DFID's assistance strategy targets vulnerable people, particularly women, who are in need of direct assistance. The World Food Programme, which DFID has funded as part of the strategy, runs employment projects solely for vulnerable women. These projects, such as bakery co-operatives and small farms, are run in both urban and rural areas. DFID provided £4.7 million to WFP in 2002–03.

This year DFID is also providing support to other projects that are targeted at vulnerable women; £200,000 to a micro-finance initiative run in Afghanistan by the Bangladeshi Rural Advancement Committee, and £1 million to an Aga Khan Network project for improving livelihood opportunities in Badakhshan province. This assistance is targeted at vulnerable women in general, rather than specifically at widows.

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In Iraq, DFID has provided £819,000 to the NGO 4RS since 1999 for their work with widows and vulnerable households headed by women. Their work includes income generation projects in the Kirkuk area of northern Iraq and in particular the Anfal widows. In addition DFID has provided £105,673 to 4RS for their work to assist displaced unsupported women in northern Iraq during the recent conflict.

In Nigeria, DFID has provided £5,000 during the last six months to train 1,000 widows through the Access to Justice programme operating in Enugu state. A further 1,000 widows will receive training during the coming six months at a cost of £3,700.

In Angola, DFID has no projects directly aimed at helping widows, but our £8 million Angola country programme focuses on reducing poverty for all Angolans and we are increasingly working with the Government of Angola to help it meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Mr. Colman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assistance the Department is providing (a) directly, (b) through its partner organisations and (c) through NGOs to include widows in the future development of institutions and local government in (i) Afghanistan, (ii) Iraq, (iii) Nigeria and (iv) Angola. [118649]

Hilary Benn: DFID's longer-term development work on institutional and governmental reform and capacity building in Afghanistan focuses on reform of the institutions for the benefit of all poor or disadvantaged people, especially women, but not specific groups such as widows.

The Government is committed to including women in the reconstruction of Iraq, in line with UN Resolution 1325. DFID and other Departments are talking to a range of women's groups within and outside Iraq to ensure women are well represented in planning and reconstruction issues at all levels, and that they play a full role in shaping the new Iraq.

In Nigeria the Access to Justice programme training for widows is aimed at empowering widows to challenge those who persist in harmful and illegal practices associated with widowhood.

In Angola DFID's country programme focuses on improving governance and reducing poverty for all Angolans.

World Trade Conference, Cancun

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the possible benefits for developing countries resulting from the Fifth World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in Cancun in September. [119003]

Hilary Benn: The 5th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Cancun this September will take stock of progress on delivering the 'development' agenda for the "current" round of multilateral trade negotiations launched in Doha in November 2001. WTO Ministers will be required to take decisions on issues of critical importance to developing

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countries such as reform of global agricultural trade and what special treatment different developing countries should receive.

The benefits of the Doha round for developing countries will depend on the final outcome at the scheduled conclusion of the negotiations on 1 January 2005. It is widely acknowledge that multilateral trade reform can have significant benefits for developing countries. For example, the World Bank estimates that eliminating all barriers to trade in goods would generate an extra US$250 billion–US$620 billion in global income, up to half of which would go to developing countries. In terms of poverty reduction, this could lift over 300 million people out of poverty by 2015.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Postal Service

David Winnick: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what progress the Committee has made with examining the question of the time limit for collecting hon. Members' post for delivery the following day. [119542]

Mrs. Roe: Royal Mail is carrying out an internal audit on the possibility of resuming later collections of parliamentary mail. This assessment is due to be completed shortly and my Committee expects to receive a response from Royal Mail later this month.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Environmental Liability Insurance

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the placing on businesses of a requirement for compulsory environmental liability insurance; and if she will make a statement. [118067]

Alun Michael: The Government seeks an Environmental Liability Directive that delivers clear environmental benefits and is equitable, proportionate, clear, insurable and easy to implement. In Council negotiations we have made it clear that we will not support proposals that would damage business competitiveness while lacking a clear focus on achieving environmental gain.

The assessment of the implications of compulsory financial security was carried out by my Department in consultation with business generally, with the insurance industry, and with other relevant Government Departments. It revealed that the cost to UK businesses of a compulsory insurance requirement could range from £130 million to £1.8 billion per annum. These costs would far outweigh the environmental benefits of the Directive, as evaluated in the Department's Extended Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (COM(02)17). These factors point strongly against such a requirement. The Government's policy therefore is not to support compulsory financial security.

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Correspondence

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years. [115870]

Alun Michael: When Defra was created in June 2001 the Ministerial Correspondence Unit consisted of eight permanent members of staff. More staff were appointed in the following months to deal with the vastly increased volume of letters received following the creation of the new Department and on the foot and mouth disease outbreak. Staff rose to a peak of 26 in May 2002 and consisted of a combination of permanent and temporary staff. The Unit currently consists of 15 members of staff, eight of whom are permanent and seven of whom are employed on casual contracts.

Departmental Agriculture Staff

Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the number of whole-time equivalent staff dedicated to agriculture in her Department. [114272]

Alun Michael: The number of permanent Defra staff (on a full-time basis at 1 April 2003) in a relevant work units in Defra is as follows:

	Number
Agricultural Resources and Better Regulation Division	25
Animal Health and Welfare Directorate General	668
Conservation Management Division	37
Food Industry and Crops Directorate	356
Land Management Improvement Division	23
Organics, Forestry and Industrial Crops Division	30
Rural Development Service	1,358
Science Directorate	105
State Veterinary Service	1,254
Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock Products Directorate	115

Some of these staff have responsibilities that do not relate exclusively to agriculture, but that could be quantified only at disproportionate cost.

Disease Risk Insurance

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement of her Department's policy towards compulsory disease risk insurance for farmers. [118327]

Mr. Morley: The Government has no current plans to introduce a policy of compulsory disease risk insurance for farmers. However, the Government is preparing to consult stakeholders on proposals for an animal disease levy. We hope to launch this consultation later this summer.

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