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24 May 2004 : Column 1304W—continued
Tachographs
Mr. Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects digital tachographs to be introduced. [175402]
Mr. Jamieson: We do not expect the first digital tachograph to be type-approved until the end of this month at the earliest. Therefore, the first vehicles fitted with digital tachographs are unlikely to be on sale before the end of the year. This means that the current date of 5 August 2004 for mandatory fitting to all relevant new vehicles cannot be met. On 8 March, I announced that we would not enforce the August 2004 deadline in the UK. Since that announcement, the European Commission has proposed an EU-wide moratorium in the enforcement of mandatory fitting by member states until August 2005. We will continue to monitor developments and will make further announcements as and when appropriate.
Traffic Accidents (Bootle)
Mr. Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the percentage change has been in the number of (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries on the roads of Bootle since 1997. [175490]
Mr. Jamieson: The available information relates to local authority areas. In the Sefton local authority area there were 10 deaths in road accidents in 1997 and 10 deaths in 2002, the latest year for which information is available. The number of serious injuries fell by 12 percent from 100 in 1997 to 88 in 2002. Estimates on the basis of parliamentary constituencies will become available in the summer, where I shall write to my hon Friend with figures for Bootle and place a copy of my letter in the Libraries of the House.
Traffic Congestion
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the level of congestion on the M54 was in each year since 1997. [175076]
Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency does not currently take regular measurements of congestion levels on the M54. Once the agency's National Traffic Control Centre is fully operational by March 2005, information on journey times and speeds will become widely available.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Colombia
Angus Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much (a) money and (b) aid in kind the UK has (i) pledged and (ii) delivered to date to (A) UNICEF and (B) the UN Industrial Development Organisation within the
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framework of the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Colombia (HAP) 2003; and if he will make a statement; [174638]
(2) how much (a) money and (b) aid in kind the United Kingdom (i) pledged and (ii) delivered to date to (A) the United Nations Population Fund and (B) the UN High Commission for Refugees within the framework of the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Colombia 2003; and if he will make a statement. [175182]
Hilary Benn: The UK did not contribute funds or provide aid in kind to the United Nations Children Fund, UN Industrial Development Organisation, UN Population Fund, or UN High Commission for Refugees within the framework of the UN's 2003 Appeal for Colombia. I refer the hon. Member for Moray to the reply I gave him on the 18 May 2004, Official Report, column 867–68W, for details of the nature of DFID's response to this appeal.
Departmental Projects
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the Department's medium-risk bilateral projects referred to on page 190 of the 2004 Departmental Report which have been evaluated as successful. [174116]
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Hilary Benn: The medium risk projects, referred to on page 190 of DFID's Departmental Report, are listed on a table I have deposited in the Library called "DFID Medium Risk Projects: Written Question 174116". Each project is given a score ranging from one to five based on the likelihood of achieving their intended objectives. These scores are a forecast of success for projects of £1 million or more that have been in operation for at least two years. It records work in progress and is a twelve-month snapshot view on a particular date reflecting those projects that meet the above criteria. The table lists those projects that have a score of one or two.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the Department's low-risk bilateral projects referred to on page 190 of the 2004 Departmental Report that have not been evaluated as successful. [174117]
Hilary Benn: The low risk projects, referred to on page 190 of DFID's Departmental Report, are listed on the table below. Each project is given a score ranging from one to five based on the likelihood of achieving their intended objectives. These scores are a forecast of success for projects of £1 million or more that have been in operation for at least two years. It records work in progress and is a twelve-month snapshot view on a particular date reflecting those projects that meet the above criteria. The table lists those projects receiving a score in the range of three to five which means they will achieve only some of their objectives.
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Liberia
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the (a) number and (b) location of Liberian refugees; and if he will make a statement. [175476]
Hilary Benn: In February 2004 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated a total of 324,000 Liberian refugees in neighbouring countries; 147,000 in Guinea, 68,000 in Sierra Leone, 67,000 in Ivory Coast, and 42,000 in Ghana. It has since been estimated that up to 17,000 refugees have returned spontaneously to Liberia from these countries. With improved conditions, services and stability inside Liberia, UNHCR expects up to 100,000 of the remaining refugees to return by the end of 2004, and the remainder in 2005. DFID has assisted with the provision of services and support to refugees and internally displaced persons by providing £10.6m in humanitarian support in 2003 and 2004. DFID has committed a further £6m for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration, as an additional contribution to post-conflict recovery and the creation of conditions for a return to peace and stability.
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