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Haiti

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will undertake an in-depth review of the development needs of Haiti; and if he will open a bilateral programme in the country at the end of the current Assistance Plan. [180335]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: An urgent assessment of the development needs of Haiti has just been completed and produced an Interim Co-operation Framework. Following initial discussions with donors in Port-au-Prince, the Interim Government of Haiti will formally present this Framework at an International Donors' Conference in Washington DC on 19/20 July 2004. The UK will participate in the Conference with a view to ensuring that the assistance provided by the development community, including the International Financial Institutions, is targeted so as to respond effectively to the development needs of poor Haitians. In these circumstances DFID sees no value in carrying out a separate needs assessment.

There is no current plan for DFID to open a bilateral programme in Haiti. We will, however, continue to provide significant amounts of indirect assistance through our financial contributions to the European Community (where we finance almost 13 per cent. of the European Development Fund), the World Bank and the Inter American Development Bank. We will also maintain our Small Grants Scheme and operate a number of central funds to which civil society organisations active in Haiti are eligible.

Resource Allocation

Mr. Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether a performance indicator which compares the effectiveness with which the Department operates in different partner countries has been developed since the Strategic Review of Resource Allocation Priorities was published; and if he will make a statement. [180552]

Hilary Benn: Comparative performance is assessed in a number of different ways: under the Public Service Agreement, we assess performance against agreed indicators across a range of focus countries. At the Divisional level there are also indicators for each
 
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country office in terms, for example, of progress they are making in improving joined-up working with other donors; and there are a range of corporate indicators, covering for example compliance with HR procedures and standards, financial procedures and good practice, which are monitored in a similar way across the organisation. These have not yet been brought together into one single balanced assessment of DFID's performance at country level. However we are now bringing together a wider range of performance indicators at a corporate level, and—in the light of experience with this system—will decide whether to apply these to cover Divisional, and, potentially, country levels within DFID.

Sudan

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether non-Sudanese trucks are being used for the distribution of humanitarian aid in Darfur. [181334]

Hilary Benn: The International Committee of the Red Cross uses non-Sudanese trucks for their operations in Darfur. Other agencies are now looking to use non-Sudanese trucks. WFP is importing 25 non-Sudanese trucks, which are due to arrive in mid/late July.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent information he has received about the length of time taken to receive customs clearance for the distribution of humanitarian aid in Darfur. [181335]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Sudanese Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed at the high level Committee on 24 June that all items for Darfur would be cleared by Customs within seven days. On 27 June, the UN reported that some NGOs were facing continuing delays, particularly with regard to clearance of vehicles and radio and communications equipment. We are working with the Government of Sudan to ensure that customs clearance for humanitarian assistance is given as soon as possible and I spoke to the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs about this on 28 June. With the UN, we have urged the Government of Sudan to suspend all regulations regarding the movement of humanitarian goods and people in Darfur for a period of three months.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the World Food Programme about the extent of the use of the rail line to deliver supplies from Port Sudan. [181336]

Hilary Benn: The use of the rail line has been discussed by the UN at co-ordination meetings in Khartoum. WFP have recently recommenced using the rail line to deliver supplies, but there are problems. Delays result from the poor state of repair and lack of capacity of the rail track as well as inadequate security for the trucks at night. Supplies transported by this route are therefore only a small proportion of those required. We are working with WFP to help to ensure that food supplies reach as many people as possible.
 
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Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what multi lateral aid is available to deal with the crisis in Sudan; and what strategy he is pursuing to try to persuade the international community to increase its aid commitments. [181411]

Hilary Benn: The UN tracks the resources that have been made available by the international community for the crisis in Sudan. Their report of 27 June 2004 stated that $319,889,014 (about £170 million) had been pledged by the international community for humanitarian assistance to Darfur and Chad. This includes all funds pledged for assistance through NGOs and the Red Cross as well as in response to the UN appeal. I will place a copy of the report in the Libraries of the House. The majority of the contributors are bilateral donors. The total Humanitarian Aid contribution from the UK in response to the humanitarian crisis has been £34.5 million and from the EC (including ECHO) is $56,259,990 (£30 million) since September 2003.

The UN tables demonstrate that the UK has provided 19.4 per cent. of the total response to the crisis since September 2003. Over 66 per cent. of total funding has been provided by the US, UK and EC. The UK is also the largest donor in the non-food sector. I have been urging other donors to make significant contributions in response to the crisis in Sudan. I have written on a number of occasions to my colleagues in development ministries in the OECD and raised the issue of Darfur in discussions at the EU Development Ministers Informal on 1 June at the Tidewater meeting of donors on 22 June and with EU Commissioner Nielsen on 30 June. In addition, there are continuing discussions with other donors at official level in Khartoum and in donor capitals.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Sentencing

21. Chris Bryant: To ask the Solicitor-General on how many occasions the Law Officers have used the power to refer a sentence to the Court of Appeal on the basis that it is unduly lenient. [181618]

The Solicitor-General: The Law Officers used the power to refer a sentence to the Court of Appeal in respect of a total of 149 defendants in 2001, 134 defendants in 2002 and 97 defendants in 2003. Figures in. respect of the total number of cases referred in the years 1989–2002 are set out in a table in my written answer, 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 23W.

Fraud

22. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Solicitor-General what recent representations she has received from small business organisations regarding the Government's initiatives to tackle fraudulent schemes targeting the small firms sector. [181619]

The Solicitor-General: I have not received any representations regarding these initiatives.

Football Violence (Convictions)

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Solicitor-General what contact representatives of the Crown Prosecution
 
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Service have had with their Portuguese counterparts for the purpose of ensuring the validity of convictions and sentences for football violence. [181613]

The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service routinely liaises with the appropriate officials in embassies abroad, including the Portuguese Embassy, through the Home Office Judicial Co-Operation Unit, whenever there is a need to have confirmation of an individual's conviction or sentence. This is done regardless of whether the conviction and/or sentence relates to football violence or any other criminal matter.

Investigation Legal Advisers

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Solicitor-General how many investigation legal advisers there (a) were immediately prior to July 2003 and (b) have been since July 2003. [176434]

The Solicitor-General: In July 2003 there were seven investigation legal advisers. At the time of transfer of the investigation legal advisers to HM Treasury there were still seven investigation legal advisers. At present although there are seven posts, only four are filled.

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Solicitor-General what plans there are to transfer responsibility for investigation legal advisers to HM Treasury. [176435]

The Solicitor-General: In an answer to a written question, 4 December 2003, Official Report (Lords), columns 32–33WA, the Attorney-General said that:

"The Government also accepts the recommendation that investigation legal advisers should move to become the responsibility of HM Commissioners of Customs and Excise, on the basis that these advisers will not be involved in the prosecution process. This decision is subject to review after two years".

The ILAs have been the responsibility of HM Commissioners to Customs and Excise since that date.

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Solicitor-General what plans the Law Officers have to increase the number of investigation legal advisers. [176436]

The Solicitor-General: I have no plans to increase the number of investigation legal advisers in Customs and Excise. They are not the responsibility of Customs and Excise Prosecution Office which the Law Officers superintend. Investigation legal advisers are a matter for the main Customs and Excise Department.
 
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