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30 Jun 2003 : Column 24W—continued
International Finance Facility
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if she will make a statement on the discussions and conclusions made in the recent G8 summit regarding the International Finance Facility. [122737]
Hilary Benn: The recent G8 summit reaffirmed its view that achieving the Millennium Development Goals will require both increased efforts and resources. I welcome in particular, the positive and practical conclusion that Finance Ministers should report back by September on the issues raised by the financing instruments, including the proposal for a new International Finance Facility.
Iraq
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what action UK forces are taking to ensure that children in Iraq are receiving an education; and if she will make a statement. [121615]
Hilary Benn: The UK military in Iraq are working to maintain a secure environment in which it is safe for schools to operate normally. They have also carried out a number of projects to restore public services in the south of Iraq.
UNICEF, UNESCO and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) are working with the Iraqi Ministry of Education to get schools back up and running as soon as possible. 500 "school in a box" kits have been distributed to encourage the immediate reopening of schools. Funding is also being made available through US Agency for International Development contractors to rehabilitate 6,000 schools and provide school equipment. The CPA has announced that over 60 per cent. of Iraq's schools are now open. The school year has been extended by a month to help make up for the time that children were unable to go to school during the conflict.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if she will make a statement on the UK preparations for the return of Iraqi refugees; and what action is being taken to alleviate the burden of refugees in Iran. [122246]
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Hilary Benn: As many as 500,000 refugees and asylum seekers may wish to return to Iraq once the situation in the country stabilises. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) is consulting host countries and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) over repatriation arrangements for the 214,000 refugees in neighbouring countries, mainly Iran. The CPA is not yet in a position to facilitate returnees, but is making preparations to do so, with the support of DFID staff.
The Government restarted the processing of Iraq asylum claims in the United Kingdom on 16 June following a moratorium requested by UNHCR because of the war. It is now possible for Iraqis who wish to return from the UK to do so under a programme administered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Only voluntary returns are being assisted at this stage.
Kenya
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the potential danger to workers involved in the flower industry in Kenya due to exposure to chemicals; and if he will make a statement. [122017]
Hilary Benn: Kenya is a major supplier of cut flowers both to the UK and European markets. Exporting firms operate under Codes of Practice or Standards agreed with buyers from these markets. Most such Codes commit the growers to follow acceptable practices in the use of chemicals and pesticides in order to protect the health and safety of workers. Kenyan law also contains several provisions relating to worker health and safety.
DFID has worked with leading flower growers and the Kenya Flower Council to develop an industry-wide code, which covers good practice in the use of chemicals. DFID has also been working with the Ethical Trading Initiative and industry stakeholders to provide training and capacity building, and both DFID and the ETI are observers on a recently-formed Steering Committee, comprising all stakeholders in the flower sector, which is developing a framework for social auditing. These initiatives are designed to help ensure that good practice is not only developed but is also implemented.
Performance Targets
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list the targets the Department for International Development set for (a) non-departmental public bodies, (b) non-governmental organisations, (c) consular offices, (d) research bodies and (e) agencies in (i) 2000–01, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [122565]
Hilary Benn: DFID has not set any formal targets for non-governmental organisations, research bodies, non-departmental public bodies or agencies in the years mentioned. Consular offices are the responsibly of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
However, when we work with or fund any such organisations we agree the outcomes we expect them to deliver and assess their performance accordingly. We have entered into a number of formal Partnership Programme Agreements with non-governmental
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organisations, for example. These are based on agreed outcomes which contribute to DFID's overall objectives.
In our 2001–04 Public Service Agreement we set a target for CDC (of which the Secretary of State for International Development is the sole shareholder). This required CDC to make at least 70 per cent. of its new investments in poor developing countries and 50 per cent. of its new investments in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. Alongside this target, DFID established in 1999 an Investment Policy to which CDC Group plc must work. This involves using its capital so as to maximize the creation and long-term growth of viable businesses in poorer developing countries through responsible investment and by mobilising private finance.
Senior Departmental Posts
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many senior departmental posts were advertised in each year since June 1999; and how many of those were advertised in the Scottish press. [120670]
Hilary Benn: Due to a change in DFID's advertising service provider, DFID only hold details of adverts placed since 2001.
Senior Departmental posts advertised each year since 2001 include:
| Financial year | Number of senior departmental posts advertised | Number advertised in Scottish media |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | 6 | 0 |
| 2003–04(5) | 3 | 0 |
(5) To date
Our advertising service provider advises on which publications maximise value for money and circulation coverage. Many of the publications used, produce Scottish editions or have UK nationwide coverage.
WTO Meeting (Mexico)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom Government's objectives at the World Trade Organisation's ministerial meeting in Mexico in September. [121912]
Hilary Benn: The Government are committed to making sure that the new round of trade talks launched in Doha in November 2001—the so called Doha Development Agenda—delivers real benefits for the world's poor. In particular, we are working hard with other Government Departments to ensure a successful outcome to the fifth World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial meeting in Cancun in September, especially on those issues which are of most importance to developing countries, namely agriculture, TRIPs and public health and special and differential treatment.
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CABINET
Civil Contingencies Bill
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent representations he has received on the implications for local government finance of the Civil Contingencies Bill. [121351]
Mr. Alexander: Representations have been received from a wide range of organisations on the Civil Contingencies Bill. These have included representations dealing with the issue of funding.
The draft Civil Contingencies Bill (Cmd 5843) was published on 19 June 2003. Two of the specific questions raised in the accompanying consultation document are related to the mechanism and level of funding for local government civil protection work. I expect to receive further representations on funding as a result of the consultation.
Regulatory Impact Assessments
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the department's Regulatory Impact Assessment procedure; and how many RIAs have been reviewed in respect of the Department over the last year. [120859]
Mr. Alexander: The Cabinet Office has policy responsibility for the Regulatory Impact Assessment process and provides guidance and support to departments to help ensure compliance with the process.
A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) must be completed for all policy proposals that have a potential impact on businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. It includes details of arrangements for monitoring and evaluating policy proposals and their impact.
From this year the National Audit Office (NAO) has a new role in independently evaluating a selection of RIAs. In their Annual Report, published in February 2003, the Better Regulation Task Force put forward suggestions of RIAs for the NAO to review.
The NAO review will focus on the quality of analysis in the RIAs and the thoroughness with which the RIAs have been undertaken. The findings and recommendations of best practice will be fed back to departments. It will play a valuable part in driving up standards of RIAs.
Information on the number of RIAs that have been reviewed in respect of the Department in the last year is not held.
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