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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bangladesh

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Department is taking to implement the aid and assistance work it is undertaking with regard to the Second Primary Education Development Programme in Bangladesh in other countries (a) within South East Asia and (b) in the rest of the developing world. [172501]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Second Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP2) in Bangladesh is distinctive in that it is part of a sector wide programme supported by all donors. It thus replaces all previous separate education projects funded by donors. It is Government led, with donor inputs coordinated by a joint donor office headed by the lead donor, the Asian development bank. DFID is one of the largest donors having approved £100 million over six years. The programme is focused on improving access and quality in primary education.

PEDP2 is in the early stages of implementation. As the programme progresses we will disseminate lessons learnt to other parts of South East Asia and other developing countries where primary education is a priority sector. Harmonised support for sector wide programmes in education is DFID's preferred way of working and similar programmes are currently running, or being developed in, many of the over 30 developing countries, mostly in South Asia and in sub-Saharan Africa, where DFID supports primary education for all children.

Burma (EU Sanctions)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of EU sanctions on Burma. [171692]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The EU Common Position was strengthened last year, in response to the violent attack on and subsequent detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the National League for Democracy (NLD). DFID considers that the effect of EU measures do have a real impact on the military regime. They signal how seriously the EU takes the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) breaches of international standards of behaviour and helps to provide support for the pro-democracy forces.

The EU Common Position aims to apply targeted sanctions against the regime to persuade the SPDC of the need for political progress, but as far as is possible, to avoid measures which hurt the ordinary Burmese people.
 
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In keeping with the EU Common Position, DFID spent £3.4 million during 2003–04 on initiatives largely focussed on HIV/Aids and health services for the poor and on refugees. DFID's future focus will be on these areas, as well as on food security, and quality basic education for poor people. DFID has consulted with the NLD about our approach and focus.

Child Mortality (Pakistan and India)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the latest under five mortality rate is in (a) Pakistan and (b) India. [172455]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The World Bank 2003 Development Indicators records the following for under five mortality:

(a) 109 per 1,000 live births in Pakistan in 2001, and

(b) 93 per 1,000 live births in India in 2001.

Commission for Africa

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the budget is for the Commission for Africa, broken down by (a) staffing costs, (b) consultancy costs, (c) communication costs, (d) expenses and (e) other available budget headings. [172562]

Hilary Benn: The budget for the Commission for Africa will not be finally agreed until Commissioners have drawn up their work plans in consultation with the Commission for Africa Secretariat. This will take place over the coming month. Following these discussions the overall budget may increase and the allocation between budget headings change. The current breakdown over 14 months is:

(a) staffing costs (including salaries, staff travel, training and office costs): £1,115,000;

(b) consultancy costs: currently there is no budget heading covering consultancies, but we plan to use the £700,000 originally earmarked for Commissioners' staff for this purpose;

(c) communication costs: currently there is no budget heading covering communication costs, though we have allocated £20,000 for the production of the final report;

(d) expenses: staff travel is included within the staffing costs budget heading. The allocation for Commissioners' travelling expenses is £144,000;

(e) Consultation meetings across Africa and elsewhere on the work of the Commission: £1,200,000;

(f) Commission meeting costs (venue hire, meal booking, press conference costs, transcription, vehicle hire, security): £240,000.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how many people the Commission for Africa will employ when it is fully staffed; [172563]

(2) how many people the Commission for Africa employs. [172561]

Hilary Benn: The Secretariat to the Commission for Africa currently consists of 14 full-time members of staff and is looking to recruit up to six more people over the next month, which will bring the staff total to 20. More staff may be recruited over the coming year to undertake expert analysis.
 
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Democratic Republic of Congo

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of the discussions that the Minister had with President Kabila, Vice President Ruberwa, Vice President Bemba and Foreign Minister Ghonda on his recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo. [172503]

Hilary Benn: I visited the DRC recently to discuss the transition process with the President and Vice-Presidents. We agreed that the TNG and the international community needed to focus on making the transition work by addressing the critical security issues and establishing the necessary stable environment for the elections planned for next year.

Departmental Procurement

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British manufacture. [170803]

Hilary Benn: All procurement decisions are taken on grounds of value for money. Crockery, cutlery and glassware for our staff restaurants are purchased by our catering contractors, who have operated our current London staff restaurant for 2½ years. All of the crockery and cutlery purchased was manufactured in Great Britain. Glassware is of French origin. Information regarding procurement by our previous contractors is not readily available and could be obtained only by incurring a disproportionate cost.

Early Retirement

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many employees in his Department took early retirement, and at what total cost, in the last financial year. [172176]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: In the last financial year there were 19 early retirements from DFID. One retirement was on medical grounds with the remainder on compulsory terms.

The total cost of these early retirements will be £1,609,274.97 of which £935,024.79 was paid during 2003–04.

Education Workers (Overseas Recruitment)

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department's overseas offices offer to UK-based recruitment agencies in the recruitment of education workers from overseas; and how many staff in his Department were involved in offering such assistance on the latest date for which figures are available. [171500]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID overseas offices have not offered such assistance.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received concerning the adequacy of firefighting outfits used by Iraqi firefighters; what assessment he has made of the
 
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asbestos-lined suit they use; what plans he has to provide urgent and direct aid to upgrade the quality of    the firefighters' outfit; and if he will make a statement. [172278]

Hilary Benn: DFID has received no information on, nor undertaken any assessment of, the adequacy of Iraqi fire fighters' suits. Our plans for assistance to Iraq do not include the upgrading of fire fighters' suits.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what arrangements are in place for accountability of the Coalition Development Fund for Iraq; what demands for accountability have been made by the Independent Monitoring Board; what the policy is of (a) the UK Government and (b) the Coalition Provisional Authority on each demand; what has happened to the £7.6 billion surplus from the oil-for-food programme which was transferred to the Coalition Development Fund; and if he will make a statement. [172280]

Hilary Benn: All funds in the Development Fund for Iraq are subject to audit by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB), created under UN Security Council Resolution 1483. The role of the Board is to ensure that the Development Fund for Iraq is used in a transparent manner for the benefit of the people of Iraq, and that export sales of petroleum, petroleum products, and natural gas from Iraq are made consistent with prevailing international market best practices. The Board consists of representatives of the UN, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

DFID is unaware of any specific demands for accountability from the IAMB. As recorded in the statement following their 23 April meeting (www. iamb.info) the IAMB continue to work closely with the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and others in the achievement of their objectives.

Surplus funds received from the oil-for-food programme, above those required to complete existing contracts, are paid into the Development Fund for Iraq. Like other funds, including oil revenues, seized and vested assets, their allocation is decided by the CPA Programme Review Board. These allocations are then subject to IAMB oversight.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Iraq. [172295]

Hilary Benn: In spite of continuing security problems, there is no widespread humanitarian crisis in Iraq. Iraqi Ministries, United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, NGOs and Iraqi citizens have been working together to assist people affected by the recent fighting in Falluja, and have made preparations for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance, if required, in other parts of Iraq. An Emergency Co-ordination Group has been established to ensure the effective coordination of emergency assistance in Iraq. Its membership includes UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and NGOs.

US$32 billion in grants and soft loans was pledged for the reconstruction of Iraq at the Madrid Donors' Conference in October last year. DFID has committed
 
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£278 million to humanitarian and reconstruction work in Iraq since the beginning of 2003. Over the last year, Iraqi Ministries, together with the Coalition Provisional Authority and aid agencies, have made significant progress in restoring essential services, maintaining the Public Distribution System for food rations, reopening hospitals and schools and beginning the process of longer-term reconstruction.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received about the current humanitarian situation in Iraq. [172465]

Hilary Benn: I receive representations from many sources about assistance to Iraq. Since the 2003 conflict, most of Iraq's requirements have been for reconstruction rather than for immediate humanitarian assistance. At the Madrid Donors' Conference in October last year, the Government pledged a total of £544 million in assistance to Iraq for the three years from April 2003. DFID has so far committed £278 million in humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in Iraq since March 2003.

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