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22 Jul 2004 : Column 383W—continued

Disaster-prone Regions

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what actions have been taken to improve the Department's strategies for disaster-prone regions since the publication of the National Audit Office's report on Responding to Humanitarian Emergencies, HC 1227 of Session 2002–03; [186056]

(2) whether his Department systematically analyses and reduces disaster risks within its development planning and programming; [186057]

(3) when his Department will formulate a strategy to mainstream disaster preparedness and mitigation into its development work; and if he will make a statement; [186058]

(4) what plans his Department has to take disaster risks into account in its approach to development; and if he will make a statement. [186059]

Hilary Benn: A reduction in the incidence and impact of natural and man-made disasters is an essential precondition for poverty reduction in many countries.
 
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DFID accepts that we need to give due weight to ensuring that our development policies are risk aware and that people's vulnerability to risks is reduced. For example, DFID's Global Environmental Assets team is seeking to promote the integration of climate change risk into development planning. DFID's Central Asia, South Caucasus and Moldova team has carried out a review of disaster preparedness and response capacity in Central Asia to analyse gaps in support of disaster reduction and prevention.

DFID has agreed to change the guidance for DFID country teams preparing Country Assistance Plans to ensure that disaster risk reduction issues are taken into consideration. DFID's guidance to country teams on environmental screening instructs country teams to examine disaster risk issues.

DFID is in the process of reviewing how we might step up our work in this area. A scoping study, commissioned by DFID and undertaken by the Overseas Development Group, will report soon on how the development community and DFID can tackle disaster risk most effectively. It will also advise on ways to better mainstream disaster risk reduction and mitigation into development work. DFID expects to develop a forward strategy for DFID on disaster reduction in the light of the findings of this study. The findings will be disseminated to interested parties.

The Government are commissioning a report to document UK civil society work in disaster reduction in preparation for the World Conference on disaster reduction to be held in Kobe, Japan next January, it is hoped this will enable networking and skill sharing within the disaster community.

HIV/AIDS

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the impact on children with HIV/AIDS of the shortage of specially designed drugs. [185351]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Every day, about 1,700 children become infected with HIV. There are an estimated 2.1 million children under age 15 living with HIV in the world today. The vast majority of these are in developing countries.

Including children with HIV in treatment and care programmes is critical. Brazil has successfully implemented antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for children and adolescents as part of its national treatment policy. A number of other countries, including Uganda, Zambia, and South Africa, are beginning to enrol large numbers of children with HIV in their programmes.

However, the absence of specially designed drugs for children causes problems. Many ARVs are not available in paediatric formulations that can be given to small children as a liquid, and tablets are often not
 
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manufactured in small enough doses for a child's body weight, requiring pharmacists and doctors to guess how to break up tablets or dose according to weight.

The UK, through its recently published strategy on HIV and AIDS and DFID's new policy on HIV and AIDS treatment and care, has committed to support research into paediatric treatments including paediatric ARVs, and future treatment options. Indeed, the new HIV and AIDS Strategy prioritises the needs of children alongside those of women and vulnerable and marginalised groups. The UK has committed £150 million over the next three years on work to respond to the needs of orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. DFID has also
 
22 Jul 2004 : Column 386W
 
endorsed UNICEF's Strategic Framework on Orphans and Vulnerable Children. We will work to ensure children have access to treatment and care.

Overseas Aid/Funding

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding the UK provided (a) directly, (b) through the EU and (c) through trade agreements to (i) Nicaragua, (ii) the Philippines, (iii) Romania and (iv) Ukraine in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [185650]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The table shows how much funding DFID provided directly and through the EU, for the relevant countries:
UK Aid £000

	1998/99	1999/2000	2000/01	2001/02	2002/03
Nicaragua	1,996	3,780	636	613	2,397
Philippines	10,220	6,424	2,245	5,744	1,177
Romania	4,158	3,744	3,439	5,396	6,167
Ukraine	8,619	8,442	9,331	8,877	7,892

EU multilateral share £million

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Nicaragua	2.6	3.3	3.0	5.2	3.6
Philippines	3.0	3.9	3.4	3.4	2.9
Romania	11.4	19.1	2.8	32.2	57.5
Ukraine	0.8	11.2	8.4	8.8	11.8

There is no separate funding under trade agreements. Any funding relating to trade agreements is included in the above figures.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding the UK provided (a) directly, (b) through the EU and (c) through trade agreements to (i) Honduras, (ii) Kazakhstan, (iii) Macedonia, (iv) Moldova and (v) Mongolia in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [185652]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The following table shows how much funding DFID provided directly and through the EU for the relevant countries:
UK aid £000

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Honduras	3,351	2,097	1,371	1,220	1,075
Kazakhstan	1,359	1,077	896	699	720
Macedonia	530	12,326	2,185	8,066	1,837
Moldova	825	829	1,074	1,584	3,354
Mongolia	477	322	1,408	542	395

EU multilateral share £ million

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Honduras	0.7	1.3	1.8	2.2	1.7
Kazakhstan	1.3	1.4	1.9	0.8	0.9
Macedonia	1.0	3.0	9.7	10.6	6.7
Moldova	0.8	0.9	1.1	0.7	0.6
Mongolia	0.3	0.2	0.7	0.7	0.4

 
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There is no separate funding under trade agreements. Any funding relating to trade agreements is included in the figures.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding the UK provided (a) directly, (b) through the EU
 
22 Jul 2004 : Column 388W
 
and (c) through trade agreements to (i) Albania, (ii) Azerbaijan, (iii) the Dominican Republic, (iv) El Salvador and (v) Georgia in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [185653]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Details of funding are as set out as follows:
UK aid £000

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Albania	643	15,240	2,288	4,178	2,582
Azerbaijan	498	697	688	479	269
Dominican	253	35,209	646	11,082	17,362
El Salvador	299	318	6,265	4,572	945
Georgia	1,272	958	2,789	2,447	2,386

EU £ million

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Albania	2.2	9.7	13	10.6	7.6
Azerbaijan	2	3	2.6	2.5	1.6
Dominican	2.3	4.1	3.2	1.6	1.6
El Salvador	1.5	2.4	1–6	1.8	1.8
Georgia	2	2.7	3.2	1.7	2.9

There is no separate source of funding for trade agreements and any such assistance is included in the figures.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) monetary aid and (b) aid in kind his Department has (i) pledged and (ii) delivered to (A) Albania, (B) Azerbaijan and (C) the Dominican Republic (1) in each financial year since 1997–98 and (2) in each month since January 2003; what new programmes his Department has (y) initiated and (z) funded in each country since January 2003; and if he will make a statement. [185654]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The table as follows shows what has been delivered to Albania, Azerbaijan and Dominican Republic in terms of aid in kind and monetary aid from 1997–8 to 2003–4 (latest figures). DFID does not keep monthly records of pledges or expenditures specifically in terms of aid in kind or monetary aid; DFID also does not keep records of how much has been pledged specifically in terms of aid in kind or monetary aid.
Bilateral aid by country £

		Monetary aid	Technical cooperation	Aid and trade provision	Grants and other aid in kind	Humaintarian assistance(1)	DFID debt relief(2)	Total DFID programme
Albania	1997–98	—	399	—	64	286	—	749
	1998–99	—	589	—	35	19	—	643
	1999–2000	—	628	—	29	14,583	—	15,240
	2000–01	—	850-	—	57	1,381	—	2,288
	2001–02	—	3,446	—	108	624	—	4,178
	2002–03	—	2,360	—	157	65	—	2,582
	2003–04(4)	—	1,806	—	315	200	—	2,321
Azerbaijan	1997–98	—	501	—	20	391	—	912
	1998–99	—	448	—	49	—	—	498
	1999–2000	—	643	—	53	—	—	697
	2000–01	—	343	—	11	334	—	688
	2001–02	—	411	—	5	63	—;	479
	2002–03	—	256	—	13	—	—	269
	2003–04(4)	—	113	—	48	—	—	161
Dominican Republic	1997–98	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	1997–98	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	1998–99	—	23	—	—	59	—	82
	1999–2000	—	—	—	40	—	—	40
	2000–01	—	—	—	48	—	—	48
	2001–02	—	—	—	31	—	—	31
	2002–03	—	—	—	75	—	—	75
	2003–04(4)	—	—	—	72	—	—	72

1. Humanitarian Assistance comprises food aid and other humanitarian assistance.
2. This comprises both interest and principal foregone under Retrospective Terms Adjustment. Amounts reported are repayments which would have fallen due each year.
3. 2001–02 is a unique year in that total DFID expenditure is understated by around £140 million due to move to resource accounting.
4. The figures for 2003–04 are still provisional.





 
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There are two new programmes in Albania: Support to Tax Administration Reform. The goal of this project is "To strengthen and stabilise the role of the State in order to alleviate poverty in Albania through the positive effect of economic activity and stability" at a cost of £1.2 million over two years; National Strategy for Socio-Economic Development Support Programme (NSSED): Albania, the goal of this programme is to mainstream the NSSED in public policy processes over the next three years at a cost of £1.2 million.

DFID does not have a bilateral programme in Azerbaijan. Direct funding to Azerbaijan is however provided through the Small Grants Scheme (SGS) administered by the British embassy. For 2004–05, the budget for the SGS is £36,450.

Together with the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence, DFID is supporting work in the South Caucasus through the Global Conflict Pool (GCPP). From September 2003, the UK has been supporting Conflict Resolution work in Nagorno Karabakh. This aims to improve understanding of the conflict among
 
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stakeholders, strengthen conflict sensitivity amongst national and international actors working in the region and implement activities that contribute to peace. DFID's contribution to this work is £2.4 million over three years.

DFID gave support to the Dominican Republic and Haiti on the 1 May (40,000) after the flooding there.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) monetary aid and (b) aid in kind his Department has (i) pledged and (ii) delivered to (A) El Salvador, (B) Georgia, (C) Honduras, (D) Kazakhstan, (E) Macedonia, (F) Moldova, (G) Mongolia and (H) Nicaragua (1) in each financial year since 1997–98 and (2) in each month since January 2003; what new programmes his Department has (x) initiated and (y) funded in each country since January 2003; and if he will make a statement. [185715]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The following table shows how much monetary aid and aid in kind DFID has delivered in each financial year since 1997–98.
Bilateral aid by country £000

	Monetary aid	Technical cooperation	Aid and trade provision	Grants and other aid in kind	Humanitarian assistance(1)	DFID debt relief(2)	Total DFID programme(3)
El Salvador
1997–98	—	25	—	187	—	—	211
1998–99	—	8	—	252	39	—	299
1999–2000	—	3	—	315	—	—	318
2000–01	—	—	—	369	1,451	—	1,820
2001–02	—	—	—	271	160	—	431
2002–03	—	76	—	235	27	—	338
2003–04(4)	—	8	—	99	—	—	107
Honduras
1997–98	—	627	—	259	—	280	1,166
1998–99	—	444	—	330	1,526	280	2,580
1999–2000	—	579	—	537	608	373	2,097
2000–01	—	305	—	691	2	373	1,371
2001–02	—	430	—	465	—	324	1,220
2002–03	—	231	—	317	434	93	1,075
2003–04(4)	—	453	—	251	—	93	797
Kazakhstan
1997–98	—	1,978	—	118	50	—	2,145
1998–99	—	1,284	—	58	—	—	1,342
1999–2000	—	993	—	83	—	—	1,077
2000–01	—	821	—	76	—	—	896
2001–02	—	674	—	25	—	—	699
2002–03	—	688	—	32	—	—	720
2003–04(4)	—	1,212	—	21	—	—	1,233
Nicaragua
1997–98	—	414	—	511	50	36	1,011
1997–99	—	204	—	413	1,379	—	1,996
1999–2000	—	270	—	549	334	—	1,153
1999–01	—	161	—	464	11	—	636
2000–02	—	125	—	338	150	—	613
2001–03	—	626	—	417	—	—	1,043
2003–04(4)	255	241	—	534	—	—	1,029
Georgia
1997–98	—	714	—	72	317	—	1,103
1998–99	—	739	—	45	488	—	1,272
1999–2000	—	582	—	36	340	—	958
2000–01	—	827	—	5	1,956	—	2,789
2001–02	—	1,947	—	86	414	—	2,447
2002–03	—	1,679	—	131	575	—	2,386
2003–04(4)	—	1,701	—	94	301	—	2,096
Moldova
1997–98	—	608	—	38	—	—	645
1998–99	—	795	—	30	—	—	825
1999–2000	—	754	—	75	—	—	829
2000–01	—	1,034	—	40	—	—	1,074
2001–02	—	1,582	—	2	—	—	1,584
2002–03	—	3,352	—	3	—	—	3,354
2003–04(4)	—	2,383	—	49	—	—	2,433
Macedonia (FYR of)
1997–98	—	666	—	58	—	—	725
1998–99	—	481	—	48	1	—	530
1999–2000	—	837	—	50	11,409	—	12,296
2000–01	—	1,151	—	98	936	—	2,185
2001–02	3,000	1,564	—	71	3,430	—	8,066
2002–03	—	1,620	—	77	94	—	1,791
2003–04(4)	—	1,255	—	105	80	—	1,440
Mongolia
1997–98	—	81	—	378	—	—	458
1998–99	—	89	—	380	—	—	470
1999–2000	—	35	—	255	32	—	322
2000–01	—	536	—	275	597	—	1,408
2001–02	—	206	—	247	89	—	542
2002–03	—	129	—	166	100	—	395
2003–04(4)	—	14	—	253	—	—	267

⁽¹⁾ Humanitarian assistance comprises food aid and other humanitarian assistance.
⁽²⁾ This comprises both interest and principal foregone under retrospective terms adjustment. Amounts reported are repayments which would have fallen due each year.
⁽³⁾ 2001–02 is a unique year in that total DFID expenditure is understated by around £140 million due to move to resource accounting.
⁽⁴⁾ Figures for 2003–04 are provisional.



 
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DFID does not keep monthly records of pledges or expenditures specifically in terms of aid in kind or monetary aid.
 
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The following table shows new programmes DFID has initiated and funded in each country since January 2003.
£

Country	Programme	Commitment
El Salvador	Network to combat commercial sex exploitation	223,000
Georgia	Poverty reduction and good governance assessment	4,000
Georgia	Technical assistance to the Ministry of Health to establish a sustainable and affordable system of primary healthcare	5,220,000
Georgia	Technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance to enable the Government to utilise resources effectively	165,000
Honduras	Poverty reduction strategy	1,582,000
Honduras/ Nicaragua	HIV/AIDS programme	1,900,000
Central America including Honduras/ Nicaragua/ El Salvador	Support to regional unit for technical assistance (RUTA) to promote rural development	700,000
Macedonia	Public administration reform phase 2	3,000,000
Moldova	Support for the national rural development strategy	9,000
Moldova	Support to the rural investment services project	2,680,000
Moldova	Poverty synthesis study to strengthen poverty reduction and improve programme effectiveness	5,000
Moldova	Contribution to the population census	200,000
Moldova	Continuation of support to the Ministry of Finance for the development of a medium term expenditure framework	500,000
Moldova	Work through the global conflict prevention pool on a peace-building framework project to facilitate civil society engagement in conflict reduction (with the FCO)	440,000
Nicaragua	Civil society monitoring	434,000
Nicaragua	DFID/Inter-American development bank (IDB) cooperation to enhance social inclusion	1,669,250
Nicaragua	Maximising access to appropriate quality adolescent reproductive health services	500,000
Nicaragua	Violence reduction	720,000
Nicaragua	Promoting women's citizenship	179,000
Nicaragua	Youth sexual and reproductive health rights	500,000
Nicaragua	Promoting equity through economic growth	2,500,000

 
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There have been no new programmes initiated in Kazakhstan or Mongolia since January 2003. DFID provides direct funding to these countries through the Small Grants Scheme (SGS) administered through the British Embassy. For 2004–05 the budget for the SGS is £45,000 and £200,000 respectively.

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