---

3 Nov 2003 : Column 500W—continued

St. Helena

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many wind turbines have been installed in St. Helena; when it was done; what it cost; how much revenue has been generated; whether the turbines have been economically viable; and if he will make a statement. [135659]

Hilary Benn: As a result of earlier studies, which had identified high fuel costs of power generation and significant potential for wind energy, three wind turbines were installed on Deadwood Plain in St. Helena in 1999. The cost, which totalled approximately £300,000, was met by DFID from our development assistance programme to St. Helena. Due to various technical problems, the turbines operated only intermittently until October 2002. Since then, they have not been in operation at all. Although this performance of the turbines has been extremely disappointing, fuel savings totalling some £140,000 did accrue to St. Helena while they were operational. This suggests that wind power should be economically viable for St. Helena, under conditions of continuous wind turbine operation. With further DFID support, therefore, the St. Helena Government has commissioned work to investigate the problems that arose and to propose options for the future. The report, which should be available by the end of this year, will be carefully considered jointly by the St. Helena Government and DFID.

3 Nov 2003 : Column 501W

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the Government agreed to fund a breakwater to provide safe landing for tourists visiting St. Helena; and when it will be completed. [135662]

Hilary Benn: All embarkation and disembarkation of passengers in St. Helena entails transit by launch between the harbour steps at Jamestown and ships anchored offshore. The St. Helena Government's policy, which we fully support, is that safety must be paramount in this process. All reasonable precautions are taken, and are regularly reviewed, to ensure that this is the case; and, on occasions where sea conditions are particularly difficult, passenger transit may be suspended altogether. Past studies have not demonstrated to DFID satisfaction that a breakwater, which could be costly to construct, would substantively improve the situation and/or be justifiable on technical and economic grounds. Although the St. Helena Government remains committed to the concept, therefore, we hitherto have not agreed to fund it. In their current proposals for possible European Union assistance, however, the St. Helena authorities are including plans for wharf improvements and an investigation of alternative options for passenger landing arrangements at Jamestown. We shall be monitoring this proposed work very carefully; and we will keep the matter under regular review, in consultation with the St. Helena Government.

Crop Dumping

Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government is taking to stop the practice whereby subsidised crops are grown in America and in EU member states and are subsequently dumped on African countries. [135062]

Hilary Benn: The Government acknowledges the damaging impact that dumping and trade-distorting subsidies have on developing countries' agriculture sectors. We fully support the commitment made at the Doha Ministerial meeting in 2001, which agreed that agriculture negotiations would aim to achieve: substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support.

The UK has long advocated the reform of the CAP to reduce its trade distorting impacts and to enable farming in Europe to become more sustainable and market focussed. The deal agreed by EU Agriculture Ministers on 26 June this year marks a significant shift in the EU's agricultural policy. The decoupling of subsidies from production should connect European farmers much more closely to the market and have real impacts on reducing excessive production, which results in dumping and harms developing countries. Proposals for reform to other EU commodity regimes, including cotton have been submitted and are currently under discussion.

The UK is committed to ensuring real reductions in OECD agricultural subsidies, as well as to making progress in other areas of concern not only to African developing countries. These include improving market

3 Nov 2003 : Column 502W

access for agricultural products and establishing fair rules for special and differential treatment to safeguard food security and rural development in Africa.

Trade (Africa)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Institution for the Multilateral Protection of pan-African Commercial Transactions on direct investment in Africa; what regional differences there are; what impact the work of the Institution has had on development (a) throughout Africa, (b) in the regions with the highest increase in direct investment and (c) in the regions with the lowest increase in direct investment; and if he will make a statement. [134422]

Hilary Benn: DFID has not made an assessment of the impact of the Institution for the Multilateral Protection of pan-African Commercial Transactions on direct investment in Africa. We believe such an assessment would be most appropriately carried out by the World bank who provided a $5 million IDA (International Development Association) loan for the establishment of the Africa Trade Insurance Agency (as IMPACT is also known) in 2001 and as such the initiative will be subject to IDA procedures for assessment and review.

World Bank Projects

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether it is his policy to support World Bank projects for new roads only when subject to a full environmental impact assessment. [136095]

Hilary Benn: All World Bank projects must be subjected to an initial environmental assessment. This determines the environmental category of the project and the level of requirement for appraisal and implementation. All documents are in the public domain in the recipient countries.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure that World Bank support for transport projects does not require the closure of railway lines. [136096]

Hilary Benn: In considering whether to finance transport projects, it is World Bank practice to conduct a thorough assessment of the alternative modes of transport available, taking into account social, environmental and economic issues.

Zimbabwe

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action he has taken to encourage the Zimbabwean Government to end the ban on importation of grain by private entrepreneurs and other organisations. [135340]

Hilary Benn: Given the substantial food aid needs in Zimbabwe, this issue is a high priority. Together with the other major donors (EU and USAID), we are promoting the liberalisation of imports and promotion of the private sector through the UN agencies, and especially the world food programme. Increased

3 Nov 2003 : Column 503W

liberalisation of the domestic grain markets is also required as the present prices and controls make private grain imports uneconomic.

The Government's national economic revival programme (NERP) indicates that the private sector have an important role to play in addressing the humanitarian needs. Government, however, continue to be reluctant to liberalise grain trading and marketing and to allow the private sector a more significant role. If anything, the political initiatives at present tend towards greater control and more controlled prices.

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures (a) his Department and (b) non-governmental organisations have taken to assess the (i) nutritional and (ii) food security status of all populations in Zimbabwe. [135345]

Hilary Benn: In January 2003, DFID provided £2.58 million to Unicef to undertake nutrition surveys and emergency supplementary feeding programmes in four countries affected by the food security crisis in southern Africa. This included Zimbabwe, where £0.25 million was spent on a nutrition survey. The field work was undertaken in February 2003 and the results were shared with the donor community in June 2003.

In addition, DFID has been the major contributor to the vulnerability assessments that have been undertaken in the affected countries of southern Africa. These have been used to identify the most vulnerable groups and communities in Zimbabwe. Three assessments were undertaken between June 2002 and May 2003. In addition, we are supporting, together with the EU, the first urban vulnerability assessment in Zimbabwe. This should be completed by the end of November 2003.

John Snow International-UK (JSI-UK), with DFID funding, have undertaken a survey of households affected by HIV/AIDS in Harare, which included measures of household food security and the nutritional status of children.

---