---

21 May 2004 : Column 1246W—continued

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2003, Official Report, column 422W, on Iraq, whether the complete review of missing drugs and supplies has finished; what the findings were; whether new drug supply systems are now fully operational; whether supply accounting and reporting systems are in place; what the new national drug formulary comprises; whether shortages of medicine in Iraq are continuing; when he expects full medical supplies will get through to the Iraqi people; and if he will make a statement. [173385]

Hilary Benn: The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently presented a report to the Iraqi Ministry of Health (IMOH) assessing the national drug and supply system, which is currently being considered. In parallel, the IMOH have also been provided with essential drug policy and quality guidance and support to the assessment of the national drug regulations and registration systems. Plans for strengthening the IMOH National Drug Regulatory Authority have been agreed and guidelines for good storage practices are being prepared. Additional strategies for upgrading the Drug
 
21 May 2004 : Column 1247W
 
Information Centre have been finalised and procurement of equipment is under way. A new National Formulary, comprising over 1,000 medicines has been produced and is available from the IMOH.

New procurement and distribution management teams have been set up by the IMOH, replacing the previous system under the corrupt, state-owned Kimadia Company. Procurement of essential medical supplies has been initiated and a delivery is expected in the next few days. Further shipments, including critical medical supplies for the Governorates, are on order.

Significant progress has been made to improve national drugs supplies and systems: The WHO report that stocks of 23 drugs for chronic diseases out of the 32 commonly used, are in sufficient supply to meet patient demand. The IMOH, WHO and the CPA continue to work to further improve both drug supplies and systems in Iraq.

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid and assistance his Department is giving to the Iraqi people. [173932]

Hilary Benn: DFID has committed over £278 million for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Iraq since March 2003, of which £70 million has been channelled through the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI). DFID has also provided a number of staff, filling a range of posts, to the Iraqi ministries and the Coalition Provincial Authority (CPA).

On 19 February, I published DFID's plans to contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq over the next two years in our interim Country Assistance Plan. It has been placed in the House of Commons Library and can be found on the DFID website: www.dfid.gov.uk

Liberia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for    International Development what assistance his Department has (a) pledged and (b) delivered to assist Liberian refugees to (i) return to and (ii) re-integrate into society in Liberia; and if he will make a statement. [175475]

Hilary Benn: DFID's relief and reconstruction strategy for Liberia, in 2003 and 2004, has concentrated on helping to relieve the humanitarian crisis, provide security, and restore basic services so that both refugees and internally displaced persons can return to their places of origin. Over this period, DFID has committed a total of £10.6 million for these purposes and has so far disbursed £3.6 million for humanitarian programmes, £0.4 million in support of the UN security coordination agency and interim care centres for children, and £2.7 million for rehabilitation of basic services. For 2004, DFID is discussing with various agencies proposals totalling £1.7 million for humanitarian support, and £2.2 million for reactivation of health care, water supplies, and agricultural livelihoods.

In addition, DFID has pledged a total of £6 million to support Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration programmes over 2003–05, of which we have so far disbursed £1 million. These funds are intended to assist the re-integration into their communities of ex-combatants and others affected by war.
 
21 May 2004 : Column 1248W
 

Staff with Disabilities

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons the Service Delivery Agreement target to have 3.3 per cent. of senior Civil Service posts filled with staff with disabilities has not been met. [174140]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity. DFID's policy on recruitment is to stimulate and encourage applications from all sections of the community specifically including   candidates with disabilities. We word our advertisements accordingly. Final selection, however, is on merit, and the composition of the Senior Civil Service group is a reflection of appointments made on this basis, through open competition or internal promotion.

There are currently 79 members of the Senior Civil Service in DFID, so performance against the target is very sensitive to small changes in the actual number of staff with disabilities in post.

In general, DFID is aware that there are more disabled people in the Department than declare their impairment and is actively pursuing a number of measures to develop a more open culture on disability. However, it will remain the individual's choice to define themselves as disabled or not.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Maintenance

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many British citizens avoid paying child maintenance because they have left the country; and how many of these reside in the EU. [166728]

Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Barry Sheerman, dated 21 May 2004:

In replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many British citizens avoid paying child maintenance because they have left the country; and how many of these reside in the EU.

I do not have the information you seek. I can however say at 30 November 2003 there were around 300 cases where further action was suspended because the non-resident parent was living abroad. I am unable to determine how many of those cases reside in the EU.

Child Support

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the new Child Support Agency formula will be applied to all absent parents, irrespective of the date of claim; and if he will make a statement. [170823]

Mr. Pond: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 18 December 2003, Official Report, column 1092W.
 
21 May 2004 : Column 1249W
 

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his Written Statement of 21 April, Official Report, columns 19–21WS on child support, for what reasons some new cases were unable to be progressed on the new system. [171098]

Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 21 May 2004:

In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Written Statement of 21st April, Official Report, columns 19–21WS on child support, for what reasons some new cases were unable to be progressed on the new system.

Some cases were unable to be progressed on the new system because of problems within the computer service provided to the Child Support Agency by EDS. The Agency is working closely with EDS to remedy those problems and as it does so it will become possible to progress those cases.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his Written Statement of 21 April 2004, Official Report, columns 19–21WS on the child support scheme, when he estimates that reliable figures on (a) compliance and (b) throughput will be available. [171099]

Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 21 May 2004:

In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Written Statement of 21st April, Official Report, columns 19–21WS on the child support scheme, when he estimates that reliable figures on (a) compliance and (b) throughput will be available.

Whilst EDS have made significant progress in relation to correcting defects within their computer service we are still working through with them how these can be applied retrospectively to provide the type of information you seek. We do not yet have detailed plans for this work and I am therefore unable to provide the estimate requested.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his written statement of 21 April 2004, Official Report, columns 19–21WS, for what reasons his Department has increased the amount retained from the monthly payments to EDS from 15 per cent. to 15 to 20 per cent. [171288]

Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 21 May 2004:

In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

 
21 May 2004 : Column 1250W
 

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Written Statement of 21st April, Official Report, columns 19–21WS, for what reasons his Department has increased the amount retained from the monthly payments to EDS from 15 per cent, to 15 to 20 per cent.

In the last quarter the Department has retained between 15% and 20% of the monies that would otherwise be due to EDS. The amount of the retention actually made each month reflects the service levels achieved by EDS in the provision of their contracted service to the Agency.

---