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29 Oct 2003 : Column 256W—continued
UK Debt
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total amount of debt owed to the UK by other countries was in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by country. [134726]
Ruth Kelly: Most of the debt owed by sovereign Governments to the UK Government arises from defaults on export contracts guaranteed by the Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD). Such debts usually become the subject of Bilateral Debt Agreements entered into under the auspices of the Paris Club of official creditors. Table 1 shows the debt owed to the UK Government as at 30 September 2003 under Paris Club Arrangements.
In addition to debt rescheduled in the Paris Club, ECGD holds unrecovered claims on a number of countries, by far the largest of which is Iraq, where ECGD has unrecovered claims of approximately £620 million.
The UK Government has already announced its commitment to providing 100 per cent. irrevocable debt relief for all countries eligible for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) upon their reaching Completion Point. In addition, for eligible HIPC countries yet to reach Decision Point, the UK does not ask for, or expect to receive, payments. Any debt payments that are made are held in trust until they can be returned to fund poverty reduction.
The debts of Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda were all cancelled when they reached the HIPC Completion Point.
The Department for International Development (DfID) no longer provides aid loans to low income countries. However, Table 2 shows the outstanding debt owed to DFID as of 31 March 2003 from loans made in previous years. In 1978, the Government cancelled nearly all of its aid debts to low-income countries, which were worth £1.2 billion. In September 1997, the Government launched the Commonwealth Debt Initiative (CDI). Under the CDI, the Government announced that it was willing to cancel the remaining aid debts, worth £132 million, of those poorer (lower-middle income) Commonwealth countries who were committed to the Millennium Development Goals, who
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were following sound economic policies, who promoted accountable and transparent governance and who were bearing down on corruption. To date, 12 countries have benefited from this initiative.
| Market | Total owed as at 30/09/03 |
|---|---|
| Algeria | 145.093 |
| Angola | 130.409 |
| Argentina | 35.533 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.562 |
| Brazil | 274.543 |
| Cameroon (9) | 64.098 |
| Central African Republic | 0.361 |
| Congo | 159.842 |
| Cote D'Ivoire | 18.898 |
| Croatia | 61.524 |
| Cuba | 97.110 |
| Democratic Republic of Congo (9) | 75.267 |
| Ecuador | 65.761 |
| Egypt | 151.920 |
| Ethiopia (9) | 11.760 |
| Gabon | 139.784 |
| Ghana (9) | 27.745 |
| Guinea Republic (9) | 3.887 |
| Guyana (9) | 35.709 |
| Indonesia | 785.053 |
| Jamaica | 1.497 |
| Jordan | 402.510 |
| Kenya | 18.856 |
| Liberia | 20.594 |
| Macedonia | 3.742 |
| Madagascar (9) | 27.179 |
| Malawi (9) | 0.391 |
| Morocco | 25.255 |
| Nicaragua (9) | 0.991 |
| Niger (9) | 8.232 |
| Nigeria | 4.494.293 |
| Pakistan | 9.145 |
| Peru | 124.814 |
| Philippines | 11.146 |
| Poland | 789.497 |
| Russia | 736.587 |
| Senegal (9) | 1.419 |
| Serbia and Montenegro | 306.876 |
| Sierra Leone (9) | 3.509 |
| Somalia | 31.897 |
| Sudan | 580.824 |
| Togo | 19.359 |
| Vietnam | 10.105 |
| Zambia (9) | 174.396 |
| Totals | 10,008.973 |
(9) Decision point HIPC
Note:
Total owed includes principal and interest including any arrears.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Inward Investment (North-West)
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs were created in each year since 1992 in the north-west as a result of inward investment. [134896]
Ms Hewitt: The figures in the table are based on information provided by inward investment companies at the time of the announcement of the decision to invest in the UK. They are based on the companies' best estimate, at that time, of the number of new jobs associated with each investment.
There is no requirement on companies to notify inward investment decisions to Invest UK and so the figures include only those projects where Invest UK and/or North West Development Agency were involved or which have come to their notice.
| Number of new jobs | |
|---|---|
| 1992–93 | 1,012 |
| 1993–94 | 1,927 |
| 1994–95 | 1,986 |
| 1995–96 | 3,622 |
| 1996–97 | 1,556 |
| 1997–98 | 4,944 |
| 1998–99 | 3,224 |
| 1999–2000 | 4,768 |
| 2000–01 | 3,187 |
| 2001–02 | 1,987 |
| 2002–03 | 7,486 |
Arms Exports
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 6 October 2003, Official Report, column 1068W, whether the Government's proposals on transportation of small arms comply with Clause II.14 of the Programme. [135101]
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Nigel Griffiths: The new controls that the Government will be introducing on trafficking and brokering are fully consistent with the United Nations Programme on Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.
BAE Systems
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on BAE Systems relocation of its regional aircraft business to Ayrshire; what funding her Department has provided to BAE Systems plant at Prestwick for employment relocation and creation; and if she will make a statement. [134011]
Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, has received one representation on BAE Systems' relocation of its new regional aircraft business to Prestwick in Ayrshire.
The Department of Trade and Industry has provided no funding to BAE Systems' plant in Prestwick. However, following the company's decision to cease regional aircraft production, the Scottish Executive, having consulted with DTI, offered BAE Systems £2.4 million in Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) to support the consolidation of their Regional Aircraft Support Centre at Prestwick.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of (a) the impact of BAE Systems' decision to relocate regional aircraft production from its Woodford Aerodrome in the North West to Prestwick on employment opportunities in the North West of England and (b) the future viability of the aerospace industry in the North West. [134012]
Jacqui Smith: The Department's understanding is that BAE Systems Regional Aircraft has not relocated regional aircraft production from Woodford in the North West to Prestwick in Ayrshire as, with the cancellation of the Avro RJX, the company took the decision in November 2001 to cease all further regional aircraft production activities. A number of different locations were considered before BAE Systems Regional Aircraft decided to place its new Regional Aircraft business, focusing on customer support, engineering and management support, in Prestwick.
As regards the future viability of the aerospace industry in the North West, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, established the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team (AeIGT) in May 2002 to produce a 20-year vision for the future of the aerospace industry across the whole of the UK, including the North West of England, and to make recommendations as to how to make that vision a reality. Over 140 senior representatives of aerospace companies, Government Departments and trade unions, as well as universities and research bodies, have been involved. Work is now proceeding on the implementation of the AeIGT's recommendations and a wide range of stakeholders are involved in producing plans to achieve this, both nationally and at local
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level. The Chairman of the North West Regional Development Agency is a member of the AeIGT and has been, and continues to be, closely involved in its work.
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