House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Sept 2004 (pt 15)

1 Sept 2004 : Column 734W—continued

HIV/AIDS

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reason five of the planned guidance notes on the programmes designed to tackle HIV/AIDS have not yet been published by his Department. [185549]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: A large amount of information and guidance on HIV and AIDS is produced by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), other international bodies, other donors and researchers. The task is to ensure our staff are guided by the best possible information which already exists. DFID has therefore been developing an extensive web portal that will enable us to bring together a comprehensive and up to date range of information, for the use of DFID teams globally. This will be available to all UK staff in DFID, FCO and other government

1 Sept 2004 : Column 735W

departments as well as our key partners in developing country governments and NGOs. It will be launched in August.

DFID has been working with experts to develop new internal guidance on a range of areas. The areas where there is the greatest need—notably treatment and care—are also the most hotly debated issues among experts. In order to ensure a balanced response DFID has worked hard to articulate the most appropriate, evidence-based policy. Inevitably this has taken time and has been adapted as new initiatives evolve (such as the UNAIDS and WHO "3x5" target). DFID is therefore delighted that over the last few weeks the Department has published four new strategy and position papers: "Taking Action: The UK's Strategy for Tackling HIV and AIDS in the Developing World", "HIV and AIDS Treatment and Care Policy", "Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights—a position paper", and "Increasing Access To Essential Medicines in the Developing World".

Natural Resource Governance

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what assessment his Department has made of the importance of natural resource governance in developing countries; when this assessment was last revised; and if he will make a statement; [186229]

(2) what his Department's policy is on the promotion of issues of natural resource governance; when this policy was initially drawn up; when it was last revised; and if he will make a statement; [186230]

(3) what assessment his Department has made of the relevance of natural resource governance to armed conflicts in (a) Africa and (b) South America; and if he will make a statement. [186232]

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development (DFID) recognises that many of the poorest countries and the poorest people are highly dependent on natural resources for economic development and livelihoods. However, powerful groups sometimes deny poor people such access and revenues from natural resources—both renewable and non-renewable—have often fuelled conflict, corruption and exacerbated poverty. How natural resources are governed can fundamentally affect the contribution they make towards poverty reduction and sustainable development.

The Prime Minister launched the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, September 2002. Its aim is to improve governance and accountability in countries with a high reliance on oil, gas and minerals by increasing transparency of payments by companies to governments, and transparency of revenues received by those governments. EITI is now being implemented in Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Ghana and the Kyrgyz Republic,

1 Sept 2004 : Column 736W

with discussions taking place on implementation in a number of other countries including several in Africa and South America.

DFID's assessment of the importance of natural resource governance in developing countries is carried out on a country-by-country basis, usually through poverty reduction strategies. DFID has supported work on natural resource governance in Cambodia, Cameroon, Ghana, Indonesia and a number of other countries through the Governance Learning Group.

Some recent examples of governance programmes supported by DFID in the renewable natural resource sector include:

support to regional forest law enforcement and governance (FLEG) processes in East Asia and Africa that help build awareness of governance problems, in particular illegal logging, and generate commitment to tackle them;

an active role within the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) process. On 19 July the College of Commissioners adopted a package of proposals that includes a draft Regulation to control imports of illegally harvested timber into the single market;

support to Global Witness to analyse and publish trends concerning the governance of natural resource extraction—in particular the forestry sector—in the Democratic Republic of Congo;

support to the Overseas Development Institute to examine governance and poverty impacts of the illegal timber trade in Central America, with the aim of catalysing institutional and policy change by building awareness, dialogue and 'coalitions for change' among political institutions, government agencies, donors and civil society; and

pathways for Environmental Action in Kenya (PEAK), a programme to enable local communities to better understand their rights and economic opportunities under new environment legislation.

On the question of natural resource governance and armed conflict, responsibilities fall across Whitehall. DFID, the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence collaborate on African conflict issues through a joint strategy called the Africa Conflict Pool. This has considered a range of natural resource and conflict issues within its work drawing on academic literature, the work of groups such as Global Witness and the work of various United Nations bodies.

Overseas Aid

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will break down by recipient country aid given by the UK in each of the last 10 years (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of total expenditure. [186133]

Hilary Benn: I have arranged for copies of a document entitled "Bilateral Aid by Country (Total Gross Public Expenditure)" to be placed in the Libraries of the House. This includes details of the aid given by the UK to each recipient country in each of the last 10 years up until 2002–03, the last full year for which we have final figures. It also provides details of the percentage of total bilateral UK aid for the relevant year.

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The UK also provides contributions to multilateral organisations from both DFID and the Government as a whole. By definition, this expenditure cannot be broken down by country as the UK contribution is pooled with those of other donors.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the overseas aid budget expressed at today's prices was in each of the last 25 years; and what the projected budget is as a result of the Spending Review. [186135]

Hilary Benn: Expenditure on DFID programmes for the years 1978–79 to 2002–03, expressed in constant 2002–03 prices, is set out in the following table:
£ million (constant 2002–03 prices)

Total DFID programmes

1978–79 2,811

1979–80 2,629

1980–81 2,675

1981–82 2,495

1982–83 2,361

1983–84 2,411

1984–85 2,431

1985–86 2,360

1986–87 2,386

1987–88 2,308

1988–89 2,437

1989–90 2,515

1990–91 2,426

1991–92 2,614

1992–93 2,745

1993–94 2,780

1994–95 2,878

1995–96 2,756

1996–97 2,510

1997–98 2,342

1998–99 2,610

1999–2000 2,783

2000–01 2,946

2001–02 3,002

2002–03 3,313

Source:
DFID's annual statistical report Statistics on International Development 1998–99 to 2002–03.

1 Sept 2004 : Column 738W

	Total DFID programmes
1978–79	2,811
1979–80	2,629
1980–81	2,675
1981–82	2,495
1982–83	2,361
1983–84	2,411
1984–85	2,431
1985–86	2,360
1986–87	2,386
1987–88	2,308
1988–89	2,437
1989–90	2,515
1990–91	2,426
1991–92	2,614
1992–93	2,745
1993–94	2,780
1994–95	2,878
1995–96	2,756
1996–97	2,510
1997–98	2,342
1998–99	2,610
1999–2000	2,783
2000–01	2,946
2001–02	3,002
2002–03	3,313

As a result of Spending Review 2002 DFID's Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit rose from £3.596 billion in 2003–04 to £4.529 billion in 2005–06. This represented over 8 per cent. annual real growth for the Spending Review period.

Spending Review 2004 provided another excellent settlement which demonstrated the Government's continuing commitment to tackling global poverty and the United Nation's 0.7 per cent. oda/GNI target. DFID's Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit will rise to £5.028 billion in 2006–07 and £5.323 billion in 2007–08. This represents 9.2 annual average real growth for the period of the Spending Review.

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) the Philippines, (B) Romania and (C) Ukraine (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. [185716]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The following table shows what has been delivered to the Philippines, Romania and Ukraine in terms of aid in kind and monetary aid from 1997–98 to 2003–04 (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
co-operation Aid and trade provision Grants and other aid-in-kind Humanitarian assistance⁽²⁰⁾ DFID debt relief 2

Philippines

1997–98 — 353 3,393 621 140 —

1998–99 — 267 656 619 — —

1999–2000 — 157 44 406 — —

2000–01 — — 241 545 250 —

2001–02⁽²²⁾ 3,692 64 163 228 — —

2002–03 631 67 158 321 — —

2003–04⁽²³⁾ 1,471 55 135 382 — —

Romania

1997–98 — 5,481 — 196 32 —

1998–99 — 4,036 — 104 — —

1999–2000 — 3,489 — 249 — —

2000–01 — 3,180 — 258 — —

2001–02⁽²²⁾ — 5,301 — 95 — —

2002–03 — 5,798 — 300 50 —

2003–04⁽²³⁾ — 4,503 — 90 — —

Ukraine

1997–98 — 8,535 — 588 — —

1998–99 — 8,111 — 502 — —

1999–2000 — 7,856 — 586 — —

2000–01 — 9,033 — 197 100 —

2001–02⁽²²⁾ — 8,652 — 225 — —

2002–03 — 7,684 — 204 2 —

2003–04⁽²³⁾ — 6,295 — 166 — —

⁽²⁰⁾ Humanitarian assistance comprises food aid and other humanitarian assistance.
⁽²¹⁾ This comprises both interest and principal foregone under Retrospective Terms Adjustment. Amounts reported are repayments which would have fallen.
⁽²²⁾ 2001–02 is a unique year in that total DFID expenditure is understated by around £140 million due to move to resource accounting. See glossary for details.
⁽²³⁾ The figures for 2003–04 are provisional.

1 Sept 2004 : Column 739W

	Monetary aid	Technical co-operation	Aid and trade provision	Grants and other aid-in-kind	Humanitarian assistance⁽²⁰⁾	DFID debt relief 2
Philippines
1997–98	—	353	3,393	621	140	—
1998–99	—	267	656	619	—	—
1999–2000	—	157	44	406	—	—
2000–01	—	—	241	545	250	—
2001–02⁽²²⁾	3,692	64	163	228	—	—
2002–03	631	67	158	321	—	—
2003–04⁽²³⁾	1,471	55	135	382	—	—

Romania
1997–98	—	5,481	—	196	32	—
1998–99	—	4,036	—	104	—	—
1999–2000	—	3,489	—	249	—	—
2000–01	—	3,180	—	258	—	—
2001–02⁽²²⁾	—	5,301	—	95	—	—
2002–03	—	5,798	—	300	50	—
2003–04⁽²³⁾	—	4,503	—	90	—	—

Ukraine
1997–98	—	8,535	—	588	—	—
1998–99	—	8,111	—	502	—	—
1999–2000	—	7,856	—	586	—	—
2000–01	—	9,033	—	197	100	—
2001–02⁽²²⁾	—	8,652	—	225	—	—
2002–03	—	7,684	—	204	2	—
2003–04⁽²³⁾	—	6,295	—	166	—	—

Since 2003 DFID has committed a further £111,647 to support civil society organisations in the Philippines.

The following are new programmes initiated and funded in Romania since January 2003; all are extensions of existing activities in Romania.

£000

Social and Healthcare Linkages—To assist local authorities in the equitable and sustainable delivery and development of social and health care services 200

Social Development Scheme Fund—To support social development, build social capital and contribute to poverty alleviation in the communities most affected by mining industry restructuring 200

Social Development Strategy for Romanian Mining Regions—to support the "National Strategy for Mining Industry" through providing a social development strategy. 84

Social Mitigation Strengthening Cohesion and Lesson Learning—To enhance the capacity of the National Agency for Mining through strengthening cohesion and lesson learning within the mining sector Social Mitigation Project 76

Advisory support to the National Agency for Civil Servants (NACS)—To improve the Government's management of its civil servants by assisting the agency to clarify its role and function 134

Assistance to National Agency for Civil Servants—Human resource Planning, Establishment Control and Pay Bill Modelling—to assist NACS gather and analyse the data required to formulate a Human Resource Plan, to determine the number and level of public positions and to formulate pay proposals for 2004. 30

Technical Assistance to the General Secretariat of the Government for building a coherent Policy Making and an Accountable Administration—to assist the Unit for Policy Planning and General Secretariat in the design of institutional procedures of policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation. 65

Public Admin Reform Strategy Adviser—The establishment of a strategic framework which clearly sets out Government public administration reform actions, and identifies the role of the EC, World Bank and other international organisations. 100

Support to the National Co-ordinator and Romanian Commission for Poverty Prevention and Social Inclusion (CASPIS)—To strengthen understanding and strategic approach to poverty reduction, including support to the CASPIS Technical Secretariat, line ministries and at local level. 90

Adviser on Anti-Poverty Strategies to CASPIS—to enhance capacity within CASPIS to adopt a strategic approach to poverty reduction policies and to promote the implementation of poverty reduction plans. 95

Strategic Planning Support to the Romania Social Development Fund—(RSDF) to develop the sustainable capacity to measurably contribute towards national and/or local poverty alleviation and social inclusion plans. 90

High Level Group for Romania Children Co-ordinator—To promote child rights and protection and the prevention of child abuse and neglect using an holistic approach in the broader context of child health and development. 42

1 Sept 2004 : Column 740W

	£000
Social and Healthcare Linkages—To assist local authorities in the equitable and sustainable delivery and development of social and health care services	200
Social Development Scheme Fund—To support social development, build social capital and contribute to poverty alleviation in the communities most affected by mining industry restructuring	200
Social Development Strategy for Romanian Mining Regions—to support the "National Strategy for Mining Industry" through providing a social development strategy.	84
Social Mitigation Strengthening Cohesion and Lesson Learning—To enhance the capacity of the National Agency for Mining through strengthening cohesion and lesson learning within the mining sector Social Mitigation Project	76
Advisory support to the National Agency for Civil Servants (NACS)—To improve the Government's management of its civil servants by assisting the agency to clarify its role and function	134
Assistance to National Agency for Civil Servants—Human resource Planning, Establishment Control and Pay Bill Modelling—to assist NACS gather and analyse the data required to formulate a Human Resource Plan, to determine the number and level of public positions and to formulate pay proposals for 2004.	30
Technical Assistance to the General Secretariat of the Government for building a coherent Policy Making and an Accountable Administration—to assist the Unit for Policy Planning and General Secretariat in the design of institutional procedures of policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation.	65
Public Admin Reform Strategy Adviser—The establishment of a strategic framework which clearly sets out Government public administration reform actions, and identifies the role of the EC, World Bank and other international organisations.	100
Support to the National Co-ordinator and Romanian Commission for Poverty Prevention and Social Inclusion (CASPIS)—To strengthen understanding and strategic approach to poverty reduction, including support to the CASPIS Technical Secretariat, line ministries and at local level.	90
Adviser on Anti-Poverty Strategies to CASPIS—to enhance capacity within CASPIS to adopt a strategic approach to poverty reduction policies and to promote the implementation of poverty reduction plans.	95
Strategic Planning Support to the Romania Social Development Fund—(RSDF) to develop the sustainable capacity to measurably contribute towards national and/or local poverty alleviation and social inclusion plans.	90
High Level Group for Romania Children Co-ordinator—To promote child rights and protection and the prevention of child abuse and neglect using an holistic approach in the broader context of child health and development.	42

The following are new programmes initiated and funded in Ukraine since January 2003.

£ million

Democratising Ukraine Project 1.5

Lviv Economic and Social Development Project 1.46

Ukraine Trade Policy Project 0.99

World Bank Ukraine Social Investment Fund (DFID Technical Assistance Input) 0.3

World Bank Public Administration Reform Programme (DFID TA Input) 0.3

Support to Ministry of Education and Sciences (Part of UN global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Ukraine) 0.035

HIV/AIDS Small Project Support 0.025

	£ million
Democratising Ukraine Project	1.5
Lviv Economic and Social Development Project	1.46
Ukraine Trade Policy Project	0.99
World Bank Ukraine Social Investment Fund (DFID Technical Assistance Input)	0.3
World Bank Public Administration Reform Programme (DFID TA Input)	0.3
Support to Ministry of Education and Sciences (Part of UN global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Ukraine)	0.035
HIV/AIDS Small Project Support	0.025

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