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Malaria
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with countries affected by malaria on the economic impact on (a) public services and (b) the stability of their societies. [157792]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: Malaria is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in many poor countries, limiting social and economic development. The UK, as part of an international effort, is committed to reducing the impact of malaria. We support the Roll Back Malaria partnership, and look to it to inform us on the impact of malaria in developing countries.
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DFID is in regular contact with health officials in developing countries and provides assistance through its support to developing country programmes. As part of the international effort, we are working to ensure that the Roll Back Malaria partnership lends its support to nationally led programmes, processes and strategies, and provides sound evidence-based support for the effective use of additional resources from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the (a) economic and (b) social impact of malaria on developing countries. [157793]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: Malaria is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in many developing countries, limiting economic and social development. It is understood to be both a disease of poverty and a cause of poverty. Annual economic growth in countries with high malaria transmission is lower than in countries without malaria and in some African countries it penalises economic growth by up to 1.3 per cent. per year. This leads to substantial differences in GDP between countries and severely restrains the economic growth of the entire region.
The social impact of malaria includes the loss of earnings, human pain and suffering. It hampers children's social development and educational opportunities. The disease affects individual and household decision-making in ways that have a negative impact on economic productivity and growth.
As part of an international effort, the UK is committed to reducing the impact of malaria. We provide support through global partnerships such as Roll Back Malaria and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria as well as supporting country programmes (projects, support to health sectors and general budget support).
Ministerial Speeches
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many speeches he made between 9 June 2003 and 1 February 2004; and where a copy of each speech can be obtained. [156151]
Hilary Benn: I have made a number of speeches on a wide range of domestic and international issues. Copies of speeches, where available, can be found on the Departmental website at www.dfid.gov.uk
Nepal
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department gave to Nepal in each year since 2000; how much aid it plans to give in 2004; and if he will break down the total in each case by category.[R] [158855]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: UK bilateral aid to Nepal since 2000 is as follows:
| Financial year | Technicalco-operation | Project orsector aid | Grants/other aidin kind | Humanitarian assistance | Total DFID programme |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 11,119 | 2,092 | 1,636 | — | 14,847 |
| 2000–01 | 13,686 | 2,742 | 1,267 | — | 17,695 |
| 2001–02 | 18,750 | 1,805 | 659 | 2,201 | 23,414 |
| 2002–03 | 24,599 | 2,038 | 1,156 | 94 | 27,887 |
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In the financial years (FY) 2003–04, DFID is on track to spend approximately £30 million in Nepal, and the aid framework for FY 2004–05 is set to increase to £35 million.
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-governmental organisations based in the UK are financially supported by his Department to work in Nepal.[R] [158856]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: We are supporting three projects in Nepal under our Civil Society Challenge Fund. These are:
| Agency | Project | Budget 2004–05 |
|---|---|---|
| Handicap International | Handicap in Development | 85,000 |
| Minority Rights Group | Promoting rights | 28,218 |
| Nepal Leprosy Trust | Problems of Stigma | 84,000 |
In addition we are also providing £56.26 million in strategic support to 15 major UK based non-governmental organisations in the form of Partnership Programme Agreements. A number of these organisations currently support activities in Nepal, including VSO who have 29 volunteers working in the Nepalese education sector.
Recruitment
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost of recruitment of civil servants for the Department was in each financial year since 1996–97, broken down by (a) delegated or contracted out recruitment procedures and (b) recruitment procedures carried out by the Department. [158186]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID currently undertakes all its recruitment in-house, and does not therefore delegate or contract out any of its recruitment procedures.
No figures are available for the cost of recruitment of civil servants for DFID for the financial years since 1996–97. To obtain this information would incur a disproportionate cost to DFID.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Anti-terrorism Legislation
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under United Kingdom anti-terrorism legislation since 11 September 2001; how many are in detention; how many of the total number detained have been charged; and how many are Muslims in each case. [156754]
Mr. Blunkett: 16 people have been certified and detained under Part 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security (ATCS) Act, of whom 14 remain in detention. Anonymised details are provided at the Home Office website at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/atcsa detainees.html
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Under the Terrorism Act, Section 41 relates to the power of a constable to arrest, and detain for up to 14 days, without warrant a person whom he reasonably suspects to be a terrorist. A full 14 day detention is subject to judicial approval at various stages of the detention. From 11 September 2001 to 31 January 2004, 544 individuals were arrested and subsequently detained under this power.
In addition, six people have been convicted and detained for offences under that act. Of these, four have now left detention.
Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 allows an examining officer at a port or border control post to detain a person for up to nine hours (starting from the time at which the examination begins) in order to determine whether the person has been involved in the commissioning, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. To date, 47 people have been detained under this power.
Details of convictions under the Terrorism Act 2000 are provided on the Home Office website at: www. homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/tatc arrest stats.html
I do not believe that the religion of an individual is relevant to whether or not they may be involved in terrorism and this information is not collated centrally.
Identity Cards
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the introduction of identity cards will protect people from identity fraud and theft. [157005]
Beverley Hughes: The incorporation of advanced biometric information into identity documents and the development of an electronic national identity register were announced by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in his statement on a national identity cards scheme on 11 November. These measures would provide a unique link between the identity card and the person to whom it was issued. They would also protect people from identity fraud and theft by:
- (a) helping to ensure that fraudsters could not set up multiple identities;
- (b) providing United Kingdom residents with an easy and secure way of proving their identity;
- (c) allowing Government Departments who provide a public service and authorised private sector organisations to identify with whom they are dealing.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what personal information will be contained on the National Identity Register; and what legal and procedural safeguards will limit access to an identity cardholder's record on the National Identity Register; [157006]
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Beverley Hughes: Data held on the National Identity Register will be basic identity information—such as name, address, date of birth, immigration status and a confirmed biometric—and this will be set out in statute.
The legislation will allow the cards scheme to be used by any authorised service—public or private—to establish identity with the consent of the card-holder, but with strict limits on the information available.
While police and other organisations will not have routine access to data stored on the National Identity Register, there will, in statute, be specified circumstances for disclosure from the National Identity Register, for example, in cases of serious crime. This will be subject to independent oversight as at the present time.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how, under the current proposals, individuals will gain access to services where an identity card is required if their card is lost or stolen. [157259]
Beverley Hughes: An identity card, although very helpful to public services as a reliable means of proving identity, would not become mandatory until a specific further parliamentary decision on a move to compulsion. Where the identity card is used to access public services we will want to ensure that procedures are in place to help those whose card has been lost or stolen, especially in cases of emergency. We will be giving detailed consideration to how this will be achieved.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how his Department measures the amount of public support for the identity card proposal; [157301]
- (2) what the reasons were for discarding 5,000 responses to the Entitlement Card consultation. [157302]
Beverley Hughes: During July 2002 and January 2003 the Home Office carried out extensive research into public attitudes to the proposals for what were then known as entitlement cards. The results of this research were published as "Identity Cards: A Summary of Findings from the Consultation Exercise on Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud" (Cm 6019 of November 2003).
The Government did not discard 5,000 responses. The publication included a section on page 63 breaking down the 5,031 replies received via the website of a privacy organisation and explaining how these replies had been received.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on whether an identity card scheme should be under the control of a new independent statutory body. [158721]
Beverley Hughes: The Government will address this in the draft legislation announced in the Queen's Speech and will consider the comments which will be received on the draft Bill.
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Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has conducted of the (a) costs and (b) consequences of a major breach of the national identity card database. [158709]
Beverley Hughes: The security and integrity of the database are integral to maintaining trust in the identity cards scheme. Home Office officials are already working with security experts to ensure that security issues are considered from the start of the database design, and with other Government Departments which have similar databases with similar security needs, such as the United Kingdom Passport Service.
The specifications and design of the database and its security features will take into account security advice from the earliest stages. The design process will include threat and vulnerability assessments. Threats which will be assessed will include unauthorised internal and external access to data. These threat and vulnerability assessments will examine the risks and consequences of attacks on the databases and weigh up the costs and benefits of various defence strategies.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how identity cards will enable the identification of illegal immigrants in the UK if it will not be compulsory to carry the card. [158712]
Beverley Hughes: The National Identity Register will link each individual's record to a biometric that is unique to that person. This means that even without a card being produced, it will be possible to check someone's biometric information directly with the National Identity Register to establish his or her identity. This could be done with the person's consent or without consent in certain limited circumstances such as establishing the identity of persons who have been arrested for deceiving an immigration officer as to their real identity.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many identity cards for young people purchasing alcohol and tobacco are in circulation; and what plans he has to change these arrangements. [156040]
Beverley Hughes: There is no national proof of age card and therefore no figures are held centrally for the number of cards issued by the various existing card schemes.
The Government's plans for a national identity cards scheme would provide a nationally accepted, useful and secure way of proving and determining age when young people wish to purchase age restricted products such as alcohol. However, this is some way in the future—the introduction of plain identity cards on a phased basis would, on current plans, begin during 2007–08.
In the shorter term, the Government have a strong interest in initiatives like the British Retail Consortium's Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) which establishes a common standard for issuing the various proof of age cards that are available. This should go some way towards assisting retailers in recognising and accepting reputable cards when requesting proof of ID and for young people to prove their age.
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