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18 Nov 2003 : Column 759W—continued
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Indonesia
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has offered the Government of Indonesia for the reconstruction of Sumatra Island. [138753]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK has not been approached specifically to assist reconstruction in Sumatra. DFID is however working continuously with the international community and local and international NGOs to alleviate poverty in Indonesia and improve the lives of poor people. Such assistance is targeted where it is most needed. Should the need for further international assistance for Sumatra be demonstrated, we will work through our partners to ensure this is provided.
Palestine
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial aid the Occupied Palestinian Territories received from his Department in each of the last five years; and what provision his Department has made for aid to the Occupied Palestinan Territories in each of the next four years. [138375]
Hilary Benn: Bilateral financial aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including support to UNRWA, over the last five years was as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 8.5 |
| 1999–2000 | 21 |
| 2000–01 | 28 |
| 2001–02 | 39.5 |
| 2002–03 | 34 |
This financial year we plan to spend about £40.2 million.
In addition DFID provided, from 1998 to 2002, a total of approximately £132 million through the European Commission, and since 1994 to June this year approximately £12 million through the World Bank.
The department has made the following provisions for aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and UNRWA: 2004–05, £26.5 million and 2005–06, £26.5 million. We do not currently have planning figures beyond 2005–06. Our support through the EC and the World Bank will continue during this period.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what the proportion of people living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa was in each year since 1992; [139531]
- (2) what proportion of people lived in poverty in (a) East Asia and (b) the Pacific in each of the last 10 years; [139536]
(3) what proportion of people lived in poverty in South Asia in each of the last 10 years. [139537]
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Hilary Benn: The most recent estimates of the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day in 1990 and 2000 for East Asia and the Pacific, Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia are contained in the World Bank's 'Global Economic Prospects 2004'. Details are as follows:
| 1990 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| East Asia and Pacific | 29.4 | 14.5 |
| Sub Saharan Africa | 47.4 | 49.0 |
| South Asia | 41.5 | 31.9 |
Information for intervening years is not available on a comparable basis.
Weapons Stocks
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial assistance the United Kingdom provides to governments in developing countries to reduce their weapons stocks; and what financial support is given to prevent the sale of military surpluses. [138607]
Hilary Benn: The UK Government fully supports the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) which commits governments including those of developing countries to dispose of small arms stocks, preferably by destruction, that are surplus to national requirements.
The UK Government is helping developing countries manage and reduce weapons stockpiles through its Global Conflict Prevention Pool SALW strategy. The UK is providing £7.5 million over three years to the Small Arms Destruction Unit (SADU) of UNDP's Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Recovery for weapons collection, management and destruction work in forty-five developing countries. Since the start of the programme in 2001 SADU have destroyed over 360,000 weapons and in excess of 24 million items of ammunition.
The UK Government is also providing £1.9 million for the development of 5-year National Action Plans in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique and Namibia. These Plans will provide a comprehensive approach to weapons controls in these countries, and will include disarmament, destruction and weapons management elements. Two NGOs, Saferworld and SaferAfrica, are undertaking this work with the governments of these countries.
The UK seeks to address the problem comprehensively, rather than by earmarking funds to prevent any potential sales of military surpluses.
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Solicitor-General how many staff were employed by the Crown Prosecution Service as (a) Grades 1–6, (b) legal assistance, (c) executive officers and (d) administrative officers; and how many in each category were (i) black and (ii) Asian. [138763]
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The Solicitor-General: The number of staff employed by the Crown Prosecution Service in each category who have identified their ethnicity as being (i) black and (ii) Asian is summarised in the table:
| Asian | Black | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Administrative Officers | 5.9 | 5.6 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.5 |
| Executive Officers | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 5.5 |
| Legal Assistance | 3.6 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| Grades 1–6 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| Grand Total | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.9 |
The percentages are based on the number of staff who replied to the question asking them to state their ethnicity.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make it the policy of the Crown Prosecution Service to pay fees to their legal advisers within 30 days. [138935]
The Solicitor-General: I can confirm that it is the Crown Prosecution Service's policy to pay invoices from all suppliers and service providers, including independent barristers, within 30 days of receipt of a valid claim or invoice.
Published data from the CPS Annual Report shows that in 2002–03, 81 per cent. of undisputed invoices were paid within 30 days of receipt.
Solicitors/Barristers
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) solicitors and (b) barristers there are in England and Wales; and how many are (i) black and (ii) Asian. [138769]
The Solicitor-General: The Solicitor-General does not have ministerial responsibility for the Law Society or The General Council of the Bar, who are the professional bodies regulating solicitors and barristers, respectively.
Statistics in relation to the profession may be obtained directly from the professional bodies.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Alcohol Licences
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the impact proposed increases in the cost of alcohol licences will have on (a) community clubs and (b) sports associations. [138602]
Estelle Morris: The proposed levels of fees for club premises certificates and premises licences under the Licensing Act 2003 will lead to an increase in licensing fees for some community clubs and sports associations operating either as qualifying clubs under club premises certificates or under premises licences though many will also see a reduction in fees.
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Any increases will arise because fees have been estimated on the basis of the actual costs to the licensing authority. Current fees are not set on a full cost recovery basis by the magistrates' courts. This change has been made because we do not consider it appropriate for the taxpayer to subsidise the consumption of alcohol in sports clubs or any other premises.
Any increase in fees should not, however, have a significant impact on any of these clubs or associations. Small clubs are likely to pay around £100 in the first year of the new licensing regime and £50 in subsequent years. This means that, for example, for a club with 25 members, the minimum needed to qualify as a qualifying club, a club premises certificate would cost about £4 per member in the first year and £2 per member in subsequent years.
Aviation White Paper
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations her Department has made to the Department for Transport on the Aviation White Paper. [138727]
Estelle Morris: This Department has made a number of representations to the Department of Transport on a range of issues, including heritage and tourism, throughout the development of the Aviation White Paper.
Childhood Obesity
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research she has commissioned into the effect of food advertising on levels of childhood obesity. [138741]
Estelle Morris: None. However, the Food Standards Agency has recently published a research review which it commissioned on this subject and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is taking part in their consultations as well as other cross-Government initiatives to tackle obesity, notably the work of the Activity Co-ordination Team, aimed at increasing levels of physical activity.
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received about (a) childhood obesity and (b) lack of access to sports facilities. [138742]
Estelle Morris: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State regularly receives representations from hon. Members, and members of the public, on these subjects. This reflects the extent of public concern about growing rates of obesity among children, and of interest in community sport and activity facilities.
The Government fully shares both that concern, and that interest. The UK is now the most obese nation in Europe. Sedentary lifestyles—especially among young people—have greatly contributed to that. The Government are already investing substantial amounts in schools and community sports facilities. In schools, the New Opportunities Fund is investing £581 million in school sports facilities in England, and Space for Sport and the Arts is putting £130 million into primary school facilities. In communities, NOF is investing £256 million in healthy living centre projects, and £108.5 million in
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new community sports facilities. The Government are also investing £459 million in the PE, School Sport and Club Links Project, which aims to increase the proportion of schoolchildren receiving at least two hours a week of high quality PE and school sport to 75 per cent. by 2006.
The cross-Departmental Activity Co-ordination Team will produce a national strategy for physical activity next year.
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with other departments about implementing a strategy to tackle childhood obesity. [138743]
Estelle Morris: Nine Government Departments are represented on the Activity Co-ordination Team (ACT) which was set up and is led jointly by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department of Health (DH) to tackle the increase in obesity rates and physical inactivity.
The group has met twice since 8 July 2003 and is due to meet again on 27 November 2003 under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport and Tourism and my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health.
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