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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

HIV/AIDS

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has received on the risk of dependency resulting from recent increases in funding to developing countries to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic. [145436]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: I have received no representations on this matter. However, all DFID programmes, including those aimed at helping to combat the scourge of HIV/AIDS, seek to achieve long term sustainability rather than build dependency. The UK's Call for Action on HIV/AIDS, launched on 1 December last year, has at its core an objective for each country to have one national HIV/AIDS Strategy, one national AIDS Commission and one way to monitor and report progress —rather than having parallel, and less sustainable, systems and structures driven by the needs of donors.

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken to ensure that HIV/AIDS policies take into account the particular needs of orphans and vulnerable children. [146160]

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are committed to intensifying the response to HIV/AIDS, including responding to the growing number of orphans and children made vulnerable by AIDS (OVCs).

DFID is supporting the efforts of UNICEF and UNAIDS to produce a strategic framework on OVCs. Key elements of this framework include:

Treatment programmes to prolong the lives of parents ;


Free access to education;


Enhanced support to the families and communities caring for OVCs.

Meeting the needs of orphans is a complex issue requiring a comprehensive response. DFID is gaining experience in the most effective ways of developing integrated, cross-sectoral programmes of support for orphans and their carers. For example, in Malawi social protection measures for families affected by HIV/AIDS are integrated into Malawi's Poverty Reduction Strategy. These measures include targeted nutrition and

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welfare transfers, legislation on inheritance and the introduction of less intensive crops to affected households.

In addition, in several countries in Southern Africa where there has been drought DFID is supporting a school-feeding programme (implemented by the World Food Programme). The programme is deliberately designed to keep children, including OVCs, at school and learning for the future. In South Africa DFID works closely with the Department of Social Development to ensure that children (and parents) can access the grants they are entitled to. We are also starting work with the Church of the Province of Southern Africa to reduce stigma, improve home-based care and care for OVCs. In Zimbabwe, DFID is providing support for OVCs and child-headed households through its NGO feeding programme.

Meeting the needs of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS is a challenge that DFID is determined to address effectively.

Indigenous People's Demonstration Project

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his answer of 15 December, Official Report, column 719W, when he expects to make a decision on whether the Indigenous People's Demonstration Project will be affected by the reallocation of money for middle income countries. [145615]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID will continue to support the Indigenous Peoples' Demonstration Project in Brazil until at least early 2006. Expenditure over the next two years will, however, have to be reduced in view of the reduction in funds available for the region. This is consistent with the approach being taken with all other DFID projects in Latin American Middle Income Countries scheduled to continue into 2005/06 and beyond, which are either being ended prematurely or reduced in scale. A decision on whether to extend into 2006/07 will be taken in the second half of 2005 in the light of the project's progress and DFID's regional priorities. We expect that the project will have had a significant impact by early 2006 with over half of the originally envisaged training and institutional strengthening support provided by that date.

Iraq

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are in place to ensure that reconstruction funds in Iraq are administered in a way that secures value for money. [145282]

Hilary Benn: Regular DFID procedures to ensure value for money are being applied in the management of our assistance to Iraq.

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the allocated reconstruction budget for Iraq has been spent on contracted expatriate employees; and what estimate has been made of future expenditure in this regard. [145283]

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Hilary Benn: To date, DFID has disbursed approximately £8.5 million on the provision of international staff on projects which we are undertaking, directly and through commercial companies, in Iraq. We estimate that the total expenditure on international staff working on already-approved projects will amount to approximately £26.4 million. Further projects may be approved in the future.

These figures include the costs of travel, subsistence, training, communications, insurance and additional security measures, as well as salaries.

The figures do not include the costs of international staff employed by United Nations bodies, nor of NGOs working on activities funded by DFID.

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his statement of 15 December, Official Report, column 1319, if he will place in the Library details of the reconstruction projects that have been launched in Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the (a) purpose and (b) costs of each project funded by the UK. [145641]

Hilary Benn: An updated list of DFID humanitarian and reconstruction funding in Iraq, giving the purpose and cost of each allocation, will be placed in the Library of the House this week. Regular updates on DFID's programme in Iraq can be found at: http://www. dfid.gov.uk.

Meat (Illegal Imports)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with overseas home affairs ministers about the illegal importation of meat products into the UK. [142150]

Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.

We have made general approaches through our diplomatic posts overseas to the governments of other countries, to promote awareness of our import rules on meat and animal products. Defra Ministers have also raised these matters in bilateral contacts with visiting ministers from overseas governments.

Since 11 April 2003, when Her Majesty's Customs and Excise took over responsibility for illegal imports publicity overseas, they have made contact with a number of embassies and high commissions. So far Nigeria, Ghana, India, USA, Thailand and Kenya have agreed to assist us with these issues in their countries.

We will all continue to work with our posts and embassies abroad to raise awareness of our import rules abroad.

Overseas Assistance

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to (a) Bermuda, (b) British Virgin Islands and (c) Cayman Islands in the past year; and if he will make a statement. [145786]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: We do not now provide direct development assistance to any of them. In the financial year 2002–03, however, we spent nearly £90,000 in the closing stages of British Virgin islands' graduation from

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receipt of direct DFID support. This was mainly provision of advice on airport development and scholarships for overseas study. Both British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands benefit indirectly from our regional support for Caribbean overseas territories, in areas such as environmental protection and disaster planning.

Uzbekistan

Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid the UK has provided to Uzbekistan since 2001; and for what purposes. [145755]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The figures for UK bilateral assistance to Uzbekistan are: 2000–01—£484,000; 2001–02—£397,000; 2002–03—£491,000. Our bilateral support has focused on the development of primary health care: training doctors in general practice; and strengthening civil society and community based organisations.

Additionally, the UK's attributed share of multilateral assistance to Uzbekistan in calendar year 2001 (the most recent year for which figures are available) was £1.6 million broken down by EC £0.9 million, UN £0.3 million and £0.4 million other.

SCOTLAND

Barnett Formula

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the operation of the Barnett Formula has, since its introduction, (a) narrowed, (b) widened and (c) maintained relative per capita spending between Scotland and England; and if he will make a statement. [144666]

Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 17 December 2003]: Information on identifiable spending on services by country is published in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (the latest version is Cm 5901). Identifiable spending covers both devolved and reserved spending. Analysis of trends in Scottish spending is also contained in the Scottish Executive's annual publication Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland.

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