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10 Nov 2003 : Column 58W—continued
Democratic Republic of Congo
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions have been held with the Governments of (a) Rwanda and (b) Uganda concerning their involvement in the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo. [136344]
Hilary Benn: We have maintained a close dialogue with the Governments of Rwanda and Uganda, and indeed with the former government and now the Transitional National Government (TNG) in Kinshasa, on the need for good neighbourly relations as the basis for national and regional stability. We continue to do so.
Both Rwanda and Uganda have taken positive steps recently to normalise their relations with the TNG in DRC, including mutual ministerial visits and the signing in New York on 25 September 2003 of a Good Neighbourly Pact, which included commitments that all support for armed groups should end and that there should be no illegal exploitation of natural resources of the DRC.
Ghana
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made with the privatisation of water supplies in Ghana. [136204]
Hilary Benn : I refer the hon. Lady to my answer of 3 June 2003 Official Report column. 270W. The Government of Ghana has made no further announcement in respect of private sector participation in urban water supply.
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Guinea Bissau
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the recent flooding in the eastern regions of Guinea Bissau. [136528]
Hilary Benn: I understand that wide-spread flooding caused by very heavy rainfall (the wettest rainy season in the Sahel for 30 years) has destroyed vast areas of cropland in the east of Guinea-Bissau. Up to 80 per cent. of Guinea-Bissau's peasant farmers may have been affected. Large areas of rice planted along the banks of the Geba river have been destroyed. Elsewhere in Bafata and Gabu provinces fields of maize and beans were rotting underwater. The Guinea-Bissau Agricultural Minister is quoted as saying that an extra 60,000 tonnes of rice will need to be imported to make up for the expected shortfall in local food production.
A team from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is evaluating the situation and preparing a response.
Iraq
Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans the Government have to aid the rebuilding of the Iraqi education system. [136589]
Hilary Benn: DFID is funding two education advisers who will assist the Coalition Provisional Authority southern regional office and three governorates assess educational needs in the south of the country, and to
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plan an appropriate response. DFID has also supported the recovery of the education system through assistance to UNICEF and the NGO Muslim Hands.
DFID is currently preparing an interim Country Assistance Plan. As part of this process we will explore how best to help the Iraqis meet their human development needs, taking into account the recent sector assessments prepared by the UN/World bank and the results of the donor conference in Madrid.
Kosovo
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) casualties and (b) injuries in Kosovo were directly attributable to (i) mines, (ii) de-mining activities and (iii) cluster bomb submunition in each year since 1999; and if he will make a statement. [131794]
Mr. MacShane: I have been asked to reply.
The Government do not keep detailed records of this type of information. The figures in the following table have been provided by the UN Mine Action Co-ordination Centre (UNMACC) in Kosovo.
The UK was the first country to have de-miners on the ground in Kosovo. Their de-mining activities have included clearance of unexploded munitions such as cluster bomb submunitions. The Government have spent over £10 million on de-mining activities in the Balkans, over £5 million of which was spent in 1999–2000 on de-mining in Kosovo.
| Mines | Unexploded ordnance | Cluster bomb submunitions | Totals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killed | Injured | Killed | Injured | Killed | Injured | Killed | Injured | |
| June 1999-December 2000 | 35 | 227 | 6 | 10 | 51 | 106 | (7)476 | |
| 2001 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 13 |
| 2002 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| 2003 (1 January -30 September | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
(7) Collection of statistics began in 2000 and was backdated to June 1999. It is known that 101 persons were killed and 375 were injured between June 1999 and December 2000. However, of these 476 deaths or injuries, only 435, shown in the appropriate columns, can be attributed with certainty to a particular type of weapon, the remaining 13 deaths and 28 injuries having been caused by an unknown type.
One deminer was killed by a cluster bomb submunition and 36 injured by mines between 1999 and 2001.
Lesotho
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the current drought on the humanitarian situation in Lesotho; and if he will make a statement. [136526]
Hilary Benn: The 2003 winter cropping season has been seriously affected by drought. It is clear that vulnerable groups will continue to require humanitarian assistance. DFID will continue to work closely with the World Food Programme and other donors, and has already committed £3 million in assistance for feeding programmes and for agricultural recovery in Lesotho.
St. Helena
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State, Department for International Development, when he intends to re-negotiate the present three-year aid package for St. Helena; and when the last three-year package expired. [137226]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: Officials will visit St. Helena for this purpose early next year. The previous three-year aid package, which provided St. Helena with some £29 million, expired last March. This is being supplemented in the current (2003–04) Financial Year with further provision of over £10.5 million.
Mr. Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State, Department for International Development, if he will make a statement on the progress with building the airport in St. Helena. [137228]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: Evaluation is continuing of the four expressions of interest, in response to the international invitation issued in April of this year, concerning possible private sector participation and potential investment in developing air access for St. Helena. I refer the hon. Gentleman to my written statement to this House on 16 September 2003, Official Report, column 43WS.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to make an
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official visit to St. Helena in 2004; and when a Minister from his Department last made a visit. [136974]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: I have no plans at present to visit St. Helena, and St. Helena has never had a visit by a DFID Minister. But DFID staff visit regularly; and official visitors from the island are always welcome at DFID. For example, in addition to several calls this year by officials from St. Helena, I have held two meetings since June with representatives of St. Helena's Executive and Legislative Councils. I am expecting to host another such meeting next month, when our colleagues from the Overseas Territories gather in London for the annual Overseas Territories Consultative Council.
Sudan
Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to help the refugees of the civil war in Sudan who have fled into Chad. [136582]
Hilary Benn : I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 23 October 2003 to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson), Official Report, column 691W.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions (a) he, (b) members of his Department and (c) other representatives of the United Kingdom government have had with non-governmental organisations since the beginning of October concerning the humanitarian situation in West Darfur in Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [136642]
Hilary Benn: The British Embassy in Khartoum, which includes DFID staff, continues to liaise closely with non-governmental organisations operational throughout Darfur—including those in West Darfur, such as Medair. DFID staff in London have also been in contact with non-governmental organisations working in this region.
The situation in West Darfur, as across the region, is of paramount concern to the international community.
We continue to support the work of key humanitarian agencies throughout the region—including UN, Red Cross and NGOs—and to raise the issue of access and security for humanitarian workers throughout Darfur with the Government of Sudan.
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