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Terrorism

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Prime Minister what his assessment is of the terrorist threat in the UK. [192444]

The Prime Minister: As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made clear in his statement of 6 August 2004, which is available on the Home Office website, there is a continuing threat to the UK. This threat is under constant review, and the Government take the appropriate action.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's development expenditure on each African country was in each year from 1990–91; what the estimate is for each year to 2007–08; and if he will make a statement. [191278]

Hilary Benn: DFID's expenditure on development assistance to Africa since 1990–91 is shown in the following table—the figures in the table relate only to bilateral expenditure:
 
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DFID programme expenditure in Africa

	£
1990–91	421,711,207
1991–92	364,211,461
1992–93	389,100,211
1993–94	358,177,257
1994–95	386,983,312
1995–96	329,404,826
1996–97	322,364,297
1997–98	310,732,795
1998–99	425,517,437
1999–2000	471,973,047
2000–01	639,592,239
2001–02	576,457,779
2002–03	707,679,507
2003–04	705,582,347

The report, "Statistics on International Development (SID)", produced by DFID, contains country-by-country detail. The latest version of this is currently being printed. When the report is available, I will arrange for it to be deposited in the Libraries of the House.

DFID bi-lateral expenditure in Africa in 2004–05 is anticipated to be £864 million rising to £1,100 million in 2005–06. The Prime Minister has committed to bi-lateral expenditure in Africa of £1 billion in 2005–06 and the recent Spending Review settlement indicated expenditure of £1.25 billion for 2007–08. Further details on planned spending are available in the DFID Departmental Report (2004), which is already available in the Libraries of the House.

This increasing financial support to poor countries in Africa acknowledges that progress towards the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals is too slow, and that additional finance is required. This must be spent (and carefully monitored) where it will be most effective in reducing poverty.

Financial development assistance is critical but not enough. For this reason, DFID actively works at the global level to promote appropriate debt relief, fairer international trade and the reduction of conflict. The UK is committed to making African development central to our Presidencies of the EU and G8 in 2005.

Angola

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions have taken place with the Government of Angola regarding food aid. [192053]

Hilary Benn: In Angola, food aid is discussed primarily between the Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration (MINARS) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Donors are kept informed of progress through regular WFP and other UN coordination meetings.

Throughout 2004, the WFP has consistently reported that the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation for Angola is severely under-funded. It is currently 35 per cent. resourced with confirmed contributions of US$88 million. The Government of Angola's decision in 2003 to stop imports of unmilled genetically modified organisms (GMO) has increased the cost of food
 
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commodities that WFP can bring in with their limited resources. The Government of Angola's delay in releasing their US$ 7 million contribution, promised last year, is also a factor. Another important reason is the decision by many donors to move away from emergency assistance and to focus support on reconstruction and sustainable development. In response to this situation, WFP has had to reprioritise and make substantial cuts to their operations in Angola.

In partnership with the WFP and the United High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), DFID has funded landmine clearance programmes worth £611,325 in four provinces of Angola where the WFP delivers food aid to returning populations. DFID is also exploring the possibility of strengthening nutritional surveillance in Angola so that assistance can be better targeted to need.

Cayman Islands

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of coastal erosion on Grand Cayman. [192640]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has neither made nor been requested to make any such assessment.

Child Protection

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent support he has given to projects in the Russian Federation aimed at improving facilities for (a) street children, (b) orphans and (c) children with disabilities; what his plans are in this area; and if he will make a statement. [192526]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has provided support to the following projects in the Russian Federation aimed at improving facilities for street children, orphans and children with disabilities:

"Supporting Vulnerable Children in Ekaterinburg and Sverdlovsk Region". The project ran from 2000 to 2003 and addressed the problems of orphans and street children through provision of family-focused care, with a budget of £816,000.

"Health and Social Care Partnerships": From 2000 to 2004, DFID funded 17 small projects each with a budget of around £50,000. The projects addressed issues such as: programmes for street children, homelessness, foster care, drug and alcohol awareness among vulnerable children and programmes for children with various disabilities.

DFID is currently working in two regions of Russia through Oblast Partnership Programmes. These programmes include work on addressing the problems of street children, orphans and children with disabilities:

Families and Children at Risk—a component of Leningrad Oblast (region) partnership programme being implemented during 2004–07 with a budget of approximately £1,000,000.

Targeted Social Assistance—a component of Nizhny Novgorod partnership programme being implemented during 2003–06 with a budget of approximately £1,800,000.

Dalit People

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what monitoring will take place to measure Dalit children's access to free schooling provided using his Department's recently announced grant to India. [192630]

 
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Hilary Benn: DFID supports the Government of India's scheme to provide Universal Elementary Education (known as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan); this includes special focus on socially disadvantaged groups, including Dalits. Formal monitoring of the programme will be undertaken twice yearly as a joint exercise involving the Government of India, DFID, the World Bank and the European Commission.

All data pertaining to enrolment, retention, completion and performance are available at district level and are disaggregated by social class (Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe) as well as by gender. The monitoring process also measures progress on special initiatives that target Dalit children, including distribution of free textbooks.

Hurricane Ivan

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what expenditure is being made available to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan to (a) Grenada, (b) Jamaica and (c) Cuba; and if he will break down the assistance including (i) immediate humanitarian help and (ii) grant aid given to start re-building and restoring basic service provision. [189894]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To date, DFID has provided £1.6 million of humanitarian assistance to the Caribbean region following the impact of Hurricane Ivan on affected countries. Of this approximately £441,000 and 422,000 have gone to support relief needs in Grenada and Jamaica respectively. In addition to this assistance, HMS Richmond and RFA Wave Ruler were deployed to both islands to offer and provide immediate humanitarian support. We are considering further support through United Nation agencies, the International Federation of the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations.

The European Community has announced it is mobilising £4.65 million in emergency relief and post emergency rehabilitation to help Grenada to cope in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. This includes commitments of £2.01 million from the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office towards the country's emergency needs and to assist St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The UK share of this European Community assistance is about £700,000.

The impact of Hurricane Ivan on Cuba was minimised because of the path it took and the pre-impact evacuation efforts of the Cuban authorities. DFID has contributed £0.5 million to the regional appeal of the International Federation of the Red Cross. The appeal mainly focuses on the provision of emergency food, shelter needs, water and sanitation and various non-food items and includes six months support to 3,000 affected families in Cuba.

DFID is re-directing existing support to Grenada within its regional programme for the Caribbean, to meet post-hurricane needs. Some of this support will be available to help establish the National Agency for Reconstruction and Development, for education and for helping small businesses to recover.
 
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DFID is currently reviewing its programme with Jamaican and international partners to ascertain whether any re-prioritisation of resources is required to assist the country with its reconstruction efforts.

Mr. Marshall-Andrews: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government propose to assist in the relief of (a) Grenada and (b) the Cayman Islands following the effects of Hurricane Ivan. [190191]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Ever since the development of the first hurricane system to affect the region (Hurricane Frances) the Ministry of Defence, the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were working closely together to ensure that HMS Richmond and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Ruler were available, equipped and in position to provide immediate assistance.

With regard to Grenada, the UK Government provided an immediate contribution of £83,400 to the Pan American Health Organisation's appeal to support the mobilisation costs of emergency personnel with urgently needed medical supplies and the provision of disease surveillance and control measures. DFID also sent an aircraft to deliver 140 rolls of plastic sheeting for 1,400 families and 11,000 water containers the value of this support is around £56,000. DFID has also contributed £500,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross Regional Appeal, for the provision of emergency food, shelter needs, water and sanitation and various non-food items. £300,000 of this support will go to assist effected families in Grenada. In addition, DFID is providing £200,000 to Christian Aid and £200,000 to Oxfam for their continuing relief and rehabilitation work in Grenada.

The United Nations launched a Flash Appeal for Grenada to respond over the next six months to urgent humanitarian need and to help establish the foundation for the rehabilitation of social services and economic recovery. DFID is consulting with United Nation agencies on the priority areas for providing support through the appeal.

The European Community has announced it is mobilising £4.65 million in emergency relief and post emergency rehabilitation to help Grenada focus on the provision of emergency shelter, food, water and other key supplies for 5,000 homeless families. It includes funds to be mobilized under the 9th European Development Fund, that are expected to be utilised primarily for school rehabilitation. The United Kingdom's share of this European Community assistance is about £700,000. The European Commission has also pledged £830,000 to Jamaica through its Humanitarian Aid Office, focusing on reducing the number of persons in temporary shelters and providing alternative accommodation for those currently housed in schools. The United Kingdom's share of this support is about £150,000.

DFID also responded to an urgent request from the Government of the Cayman Islands by providing urgent relief items, including plastic sheeting and have since sent flights containing potable water, hygiene materials and other requested items. The cost of this direct assistance is about £200,000. Our contribution to the
 
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International Federation of the Red Cross regional appeal includes support to 1,000 affected families in Cayman Islands for six months.

The British Government are providing £100,000 towards the costs associated with the deployment of a contingent form the Bermuda Regiment who are currently helping with the continuing clean up on the Islands. DFID has also provided advisory support including a Law Enforcement Adviser, a Disaster Preparedness Adviser and reinforced the Governor's office.

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