| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
25 Jan 2005 : Column 253W—continued
Millennium Development Goals
Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of UK aid channelled through the EU was spent in each of the last five years on schemes designed to achieve the millennium development goals. [210309]
Hilary Benn: The European Commission (EC) does not collate and publish data linking expenditure to specific activities in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, in 2003, the EC adopted performance indicators based on the MDGs to measure progress in partner countries in receipt of EC development assistance.
In October 2004, the European Commission issued a report on the EC contribution to attaining the MDGs 2000–04. This report will inform the UN 2005 Millennium Review Summit in September 2005. The report does not make an attempt to attribute directly EC funds to MDG objectives, but does stress the importance that the EC gives to the MDGs and outlines further actions currently foreseen to promote their implementation.
The report appears on the Commission's website: http://www.europa.eu.int.comm/development/body/publications/desript/pub7_2_en.cfm.
Secondments
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the people working within his Department on secondment from the private sector, broken down by (a) the organisation or industry they came from and (b) the policy responsibilities they have been given. [208623]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: On 1 January 2005, the Department for International Development (DFID) had two people on secondment from the private sector, as follows:
1. Jeff Delmon, seconded from Allen and Overy, working in the Water, Energy and Minerals team on using finance and private sector investment to meet the needs of the poor in water and sanitation.
2. Charles Lutyens, seconded from Rio Tinto plc, working in the International Financial Institutions Department on private sector policy issues.
St. Helena
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the availability of fresh water on the island of St.Helena. [210242]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: A period of very dry weather led to increased demand on fresh water supplies in St.Helena during the recent holiday period. Within an area that is supplied by the Hutts Gate water reticulation system, this created a water shortage. Water bowsers were introduced for one day only, and a hosepipe ban was imposed in the area on 5 January 2005. Supplies are now sufficient to cope with demand. Water use restrictions have not been required in other areas of St. Helena.
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he expects to make a decision on air access for the island of St. Helena; and if he will make a statement. [210245]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: Options to maintain future access for St. Helena are under consideration.
Decisions will be taken, in consultation with the St.Helena Government, as soon as it is possible to do so.
Sudan
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much departmental funding is being spent in Sudan on the road verification contract implemented by the South African commercial company Mechem; how many mines have been found by (a) vehicle mounted detection systems, (b) dogs and (c) manual deminers working for Mechem; what width of either side of the centre line of the road is being cleared in accordance with the Mechem contract; and what width either side of the centre line of the road is required for the development agency GTZ to rebuild the road to the specifications recommended by the UN World Food Programme. [209615]
Hilary Benn: The total amount of DFID funding allocated to the MECHEM road clearance contract to date is £1 million.
58 anti-tank mines and 169 items of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) have been found by the system, which comprises a combination of mechanical detection, dogs and manual demining. These three systems are used in an integrated manner and it is not possible to credit any one individual system as being responsible for locating mines and UXO.
The original project called for four metres of clearance either side of the centre line. Following a request from the World Food Programme (WFP), which has contracted a company, GTZ, to undertake a temporary rehabilitation on the road, it was agreed to extend clearance to 6 metres either side of the centre line.
Tom Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's estimate is of the number of (a) refugees in Chad,
25 Jan 2005 : Column 255W
(b) internally displaced persons in Darfur, (c) refugees in Chad receiving aid, (d) internally displaced persons receiving aid in Darfur, (e) civilians killed in fighting in Darfur since the beginning of 2005 and (f) civilians injured in fighting in Darfur since the beginning of 2005. [210336]
Hilary Benn: According to the December 2004 UN humanitarian profile 203,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to Eastern Chad and are registered in camps. The number of refugees living on the border area outside camps is estimated by the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) at 15,000.
The UN estimates that over 1.66 million people have been internally displaced in Darfur. A further 530,000 people have been affected by the conflict and are in need of assistance; thus giving a total figure of 2.19 million.
According to the UNHCR, all 203,000 refugees in camps in Chad are in receipt of food and non-food assistance. Those residing outside camps are receiving some assistance from NGOs.
The UN estimated that 1.34 million of the conflict affected population in Darfur received food assistance. Shelter and non-food items were provided to 1.13 million internally displaced people.
There are no reliable figures of civilians killed or injured in 2005 available yet. We are expecting to gain a better understanding of the situation in the next few months when the World Health Organisation completes its next mortality survey.
Tsunami
Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's medium and long-term plans are to assist in the reconstruction of countries hit by the tsunami. [210394]
Hilary Benn: In response to the tsunami disaster which followed the earthquake in South East Asia, the Department for International Development has committed £75 million towards the immediate and medium term needs. This assistance is being channelled through United Nations agencies, the Red Cross Movement, non-governmental organisations and by DFID direct action. Of this, £40 million has been pledged as the UK contribution to the UN flash appeal. Requests for support from non-governmental organisations are still being received and we are continuing our direct action in support of priority needs. We estimate that the combined value of these will be about £25 million. The balance is being provided through the Red Cross, local initiatives being considered by DFID country offices, and the Ministry of Defence to cover the marginal costs of their operation.
In addition to the £75 million already committed for immediate and medium term needs, DFID is preparing plans to support longer-term rehabilitation and reconstruction. DFID's focus is expected to be on support to rebuilding livelihoods and services for poor people in affected countries. The governments concerned are currently completing needs assessments with the support of the World Bank and others, and DFID will consider how we can best channel our support once we have the completed assessments of need.
25 Jan 2005 : Column 256W
We will work to ensure that the views of the poorest and most vulnerable are taken into account throughout the process of rehabilitation.
It is clear that there needs to be an early warning system and more effective disaster response for the Indian Ocean and probably other areas too. The Association of South East Asian Nations has already committed to a system for their region, and the UK is ready to provide support and contribute to funding. Last week, DFID's parliamentary Under Secretary of State, attended the Kobe World Disaster Reduction Conference which discussed the setting up of a framework to achieve a global warning system covering all natural hazards, and all countries by June 2007.
Sir Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he expects to announce the Government's plans for long-term assistance for the reconstruction of countries affected by the Asian earthquake and floods. [210404]
Hilary Benn: The governments affected are currently completing assessments of the longer-term rehabilitation and reconstruction needs with the support of the World Bank and other donors. We expect these to be ready in the next few weeks. DFID will make an announcement of plans for supporting the longer-term efforts—which will be additional to the £75 million already committed for immediate and medium-term needs—once we have a clear idea of the need, and of the delivery mechanisms preferred by the governments concerned. DFID will work to ensure that the views of the poorest and most vulnerable are taken into account throughout the process of rehabilitation. It will be important that the donor response is well co-ordinated. DFID will also work to ensure that the UN relief effort is sustained and that there is a smooth transition from the recovery phase to longer-term rehabilitation.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |