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Sub-Saharan Africa

7. Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the assistance the Department is providing towards the development of responsible government in Sub-Saharan Africa. [124278]

Hilary Benn: Supporting African Governments to improve their effectiveness is a priority for DFID and a priority for Africa. As shown by the New Partnership for Africa's Development improving Governments' ability to; maintain security, encourage investment, and formulate sound public and financial policy is essential if poverty is to be reduced.

Our support for improved governance includes; assisting country led Poverty Reduction Strategies and supporting civil society to hold governments to account. Our commitments to Africa all reinforce responsible government and totalled £601 million in 2002 they are planned to increase to £1 billion by 2005.

Iraq

8. Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much money has been contributed to the UN's emergency appeal for Iraq by each G8 country. [124279]

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Hilary Benn: According to the United Nations, the following contributions had been made by 4 July 2003, in US dollars rounded to the nearest 100,000:

	$ million
USA	509.2
United Kingdom	108.5
Japan	87.1
Canada	29.9
Italy	20.1
European Community	11.3
Germany	10

France and the Russian Federation had not contributed to the United Nations appeal.

The figure for the United Kingdom does not include the additional £35 million commitment announced by my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for International Development on 26 June, which has yet to be allocated to individual UN agencies.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development pursuant to the answer of 9 April, Official Report, column 303W, on Iraq, whether aid will be charged to Iraqi sources of funds; whether Treasury funds have been allocated to the Department to carry out humanitarian obligations under the Geneva Convention, the Hague Regulations and the UN Resolution following the passing of United Nations Resolution 1483; and if she will make a statement. [123545]

Hilary Benn: £210 million has been earmarked by DFID for humanitarian and reconstruction work in Iraq during the current crisis. £90 million of this is from DFID's own resources, and £120 million is from the Treasury central reserve. In addition, the Chancellor has set aside a further £60 million from the Central Reserve for any further reconstruction needs in Iraq that may arise in 2003–04.

None of this assistance will be charged to any Iraqi source of funds.

Llew Smith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assistance the Department is giving to Greenpeace for its scheme to exchange clean water containers for barrels contaminated with uranium yellow cake in Iraq. [123666]

Hilary Benn: Greenpeace's initiative to exchange clean water containers for contaminated drums looted from the Al Tuwaitha nuclear facility near Baghdad is welcome. Greenpeace has not approached DFID for assistance with this scheme.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is investigating the local population's exposure to risk, and is assessing local health facilities, patterns of admissions and the possible medical impact of this reported exposure. A task force, including representatives the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Atomic Energy Commission, as well as a DFID secondee to the Coalition Provisional Authority, has been established in Baghdad to take forward further action on this matter.

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Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what estimate the Department has made of the number of Iraqis who did not receive their June rations. [124003]

Hilary Benn: On June 1, the Iraqi Ministry of Trade re-launched the Public Distribution System targeting some 27 million Iraqis with food aid. The World Food Programme's (WFP) preliminary estimate is that approximately 26 million Iraqis received their June food rations. The WFP is expecting to release a comprehensive report to donors this week.

Investment Projects (Private Sector)

9. Mr. Jack: To ask the Minister of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the contribution that the private sector makes to investment projects in less developed countries. [124280]

Hilary Benn: Successful private investment and businesses are critical to development and reducing poverty. It is new and growing enterprises that will create the jobs and income needed by the poor.

Both domestic and foreign investment is needed, the latter often bringing with it technology, management skills, and international market access.

DFID helps in numerous ways to encourage private investment in developing countries that benefits the poor. We help governments put in place sound macroeconomic policies; improved laws, regulations and justice systems; and better health and education services. We work with international and local business, as though our support for the Ethical Trading Initiative, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, and programmes to extend financial services to small enterprises.

World Trade Organisation

10. Kali Mountford: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what objectives the Secretary of State will be pursuing at the fifth ministerial round of the World Trade Organisation at Cancun. [124281]

Hilary Benn: The Government's overall objective for the Doha round of world trade negotiations is clear: we are working to secure a deal that brings real benefits to developing countries and to the UK.

Our immediate priorities for the Cancun ministerial in September are to increase developing country access to rich countries' agricultural markets, and to make rules on intellectual property flexible enough to allow developing countries to tackle public health problems. We are also pressing for effective special and differential treatment for developing countries.

14. Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what proposals the Secretary of State will put forward at the WTO meeting in Cancun to reduce tariff barriers between the EU and third world countries. [124285]

Hilary Benn: The fifth ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Cancun this September will assess progress towards achieving the 'development' agenda set out in Doha in November 2001. As such, Ministers will consider the merits of already tabled

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proposals on increasing developing countries' access to the rich countries' markets. Specifically, the EU is pushing for an overall average tariff reduction of 36 per cent. in the agriculture negotiations, and a reduction of tariffs on non-agricultural goods to a maximum of 15 per cent. The EU is also arguing that all developed countries should match the commitment that it has already made to grant duty and quota free access for all products excluding arms originating in least developed countries.

Latin America

11. Mr. Bryant: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what evaluation the Secretary of State has made of the need for further work by the Department in Latin America. [124282]

Hilary Benn: . DFID remains committed to continuing to contribute to the reduction of inequality and poverty in Latin America. The 2003 departmental report sets out the plans for DFID's bilateral programme to the region. The Department will be consulting DFID Ministers on the preparation of a new Regional Assistance Plan in the Autumn to determine DFID's role over the period 2004–07.

Zimbabwe

12. Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian aid reaching the people of Zimbabwe. [124283]

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling).

Gujarat Earthquake

13. Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what continuing help is being given to Gujarat consequent on the Bhuj earthquake. [124284]

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development provided emergency relief to the victims of the Gujarat earthquake but is not providing any further continuing help to Gujarat subsequent to that. In India the Department's strategy is to work in partnership with the state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh as well as with the Government of India. DFID is not engaged in any long term efforts for the rehabilitation of the earthquake victims since Gujarat is not amongst our focus states.

Afghanistan

15. Dr. Palmer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development, what assessment the Secretary of State has made of progress in rebuilding Afghanistan. [124286]

Hilary Benn: Since the fall of the Taliban regime in November 2001, Afghanistan has made significant progress. Around 4.5 million children are expected to go to school this year and over 30 per cent. will be girls.

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Polio has almost been eradicated and 9 million children have been vaccinated against measles. So far over 1.8 million refugees have gone back to Afghanistan.

The humanitarian situation is also much improved. There is no longer a humanitarian emergency. There was a mild winter in 2002/03 and the wheat harvest increased by 80 per cent. in 2002, compared 2001, after increased rainfall. Reconstruction work has started in Kabul and the provinces on the rehabilitation of power supplies, hospitals, schools, housing and roads.

However, Afghanistan continues to face major difficulties. First and foremost the lack of security is a serious problem, particularly in the south of the country. The government still does not have effective control over the entire country and this has been hampering the rebuilding efforts in some parts of the country.

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