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Ivory Coast

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution the UK is making to the humanitarian needs of the people of the Ivory Coast. [198320]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: During 2004, DFID has provided £1.55 million for the following humanitarian assistance in Cote d'Ivoire:

£500,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for protection and tracing activities, water and sanitation, and basic health services;

£500,000 to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for basic healthcare and immunisation activities;

£300,000 to Medecins Sans Frontieres—Holland (MSF-H) for support to both primary and secondary healthcare;

£250,000 to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for regional coordination of humanitarian activities.

DFID is in close contact with agencies working in Cote d'Ivoire. Their current concerns are principally for the security of their staff. DFID will consider any proposals they put to us as the situation develops.

Sudan

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the condition of refugees from Sudan, resident in Chad, with particular reference to (a) security and (b) access to water and sanitation. [198319]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UN estimates that there are approximately 200,000 Sudanese refugees in and around 11 camps within eastern Chad. The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that conditions for these refugees in and around these camps continue to improve, and that the security situation is relatively calm. Security around the camps has recently been reinforced by the deployment of gendarmes from Chad. The UNHCR has complemented this deployment by providing appropriate training.
 
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Access to water remains a problem for some refugees and host communities particularly in the north-eastern camps. In October, the UNHCR and the World Food Programme (WFP) concluded that the nutritional health of Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad has stabilised and that malnutrition levels among refugee children have declined since the start of a supplementary feeding programme in August, which DFID is supporting.

Since September 2003, DFID has committed and spent over £8.5 million to the UNHCR, the WFP, the WHO, and NGOs working in Chad for a variety of programmes. In addition, we have agreed over £1 million for provision of water and sanitation in the north-east of Chad.

ACP-EU Water Facility

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is in respect of the use of funds from the ACP-EU Water Facility to fund or support the (a) privatisation of water facilities and (b) private sector water projects. [197571]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The ACP-EU Water Facility is part of the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) and is managed by the European Commission. The EDF has specific rules about how its funds can be used, in particular how the private sector can use or benefit from such funds and the need for transparent public procurement. The ACP-EU Water Facility supports pro-poor, country supported initiatives to improve water and sanitation services and manage water resources. The funds for the ACP-EU Water Facility are to be used for increasing access to water and sanitation by the poor in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The first call for proposals was issued on 12 November, and can be accessed through www.euwi.net or http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/cgi/frame12.pl. and will provide further detailed information on how it can and cannot be used for the involvement of the private sector.

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proposals are being (a) assessed and (b) discussed in respect of spending funds remaining in the ACP-EU Water Facility budget. [197573]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The preparation of the ACP-EU Water Facility by the European Commission as part of the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) has involved consultation with member states, NGOs and other interested parties. The EDF has specific rules about how its funds can be used, which have influenced the mechanisms elaborated for spending the ACP-EU Water Facility funds. The first call for proposals is currently being undertaken. Detailed information on how the funds can be spent is available on www.euwi.net or http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/cgi/frame12.pl. It is too early to know the details of any specific proposals.

Zimbabwe

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures he has proposed to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. [197805]

 
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Mr. Gareth Thomas: In 2003–04, DFID provided £25 million for humanitarian programmes, under the auspices of the Consolidated Humanitarian Action Plan co-ordinated by the United Nations. The Government of Zimbabwe have declared that the country will not need international food aid in the period up to the next grain harvest. However, independent surveys do not support the Government's assessment that Zimbabwe enjoyed a bumper harvest this year. Although recent nutritional surveys by non-governmental organisations do not indicate a current crisis, food prices appear to be escalating in some parts of Zimbabwe, pointing to the possibility of food insecurity in coming months. Donors remain concerned and will continue to the monitor the situation closely.

While there is no apparent need for general food distribution at this time, DFID continues to provide funds to international NGO's and the UN to provide direct help targeted at approximately 1.5 million of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Zimbabwe. This Protracted Relief Programme, costing £18 million over the next two years, will include provision of seed, fertilisers and food (particularly to AIDS affected households).

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Compact Advocacy Programme

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the Compact Advocacy Programme. [197859]

Estelle Morris: The Compact Advocacy Programme, carries out good work in supporting and offering advice to voluntary organisations on using the Compact in their dealings with Government, and helping them where they think the Compact has not been implemented.

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will publish her response to the Compact Advocacy Programme's criticisms of the merger of the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund; [197860R]

(2) if she will publish her response to the recommendations of the Compact Advocacy Programme as they relate to her departmental responsibilities. [R] [197861]

Estelle Morris: We will learn from the recent Compact Advocacy Programme report, but we do not intend to publish a response to it. The Compact is important for DCMS. We value and support third sector initiative and volunteering, and a high proportion of our expenditure programmes goes to support voluntary sector activity. We are disappointed that the report has little to say about the many areas in which there has been fruitful cooperation and good practice.

English Heritage

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her plans are for long-term funding for English Heritage. [198421]

 
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Mr. Caborn: No decisions have yet been taken within DCMS on individual funding allocations following the 2004 Spending Review.

Football Stadia Improvement Fund

Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been granted by the Football Foundation in total under the Football Stadia Improvement Fund; how much each grant was worth; and what the name of the recipient was in each case. [198785]

Mr. Caborn: The Football Foundation's non-charitable arm The Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF) provides grant aid to clubs in the Football League, the Conference and the National League system, that wish to improve their facilities for players, officials and for spectators.

£70 million has been invested by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, in projects worth more than £100 million in the non-league and professional game.

In total 732 projects have received grants and there are a further 49 projects currently under consideration.

The Government monitors the decisions of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund and the Football Foundation through their representative on the Boards of these bodies. The annual accounts of the Fund and the Football Foundation are subject to internal and external audit, and are submitted to the Audit Commission.

Details of all stadium improvement grants made to individual clubs by the Fund together with details of all grants made since July 2000 by the Football Foundation from its grass roots and community/education funds, are deposited regularly in the Library of the House.

This information is also published in the Football Stadia Improvement Fund Annual Reports which can be accessed via www.footballfoundation.org.uk.

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