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4 Mar 2005 : Column 1441W—continued
UN Security Council (Japan)
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Japan's aspiration to become a member of the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement. [218552]
Mr. Rammell: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has frequently made clear, most recently during his visit to Japan on 19–20 January, we support Japanese aspirations to become a permanent member of an enlarged Security Council.
Japan is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council and we are working closely with our Japanese colleagues.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Departmental Staff (Cancer)
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what policies his Department has in place for supporting employees with cancer. [218584]
Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has a range of measures in place to assist employees who are sick with cancer or have other serious illness. These include paid certificated sick leave of up to six months on full pay and up to a further six months on half pay, depending on the circumstances; access to our Welfare and Counselling and Occupational Health Services, and the possibility of phased arrangements for a return to work following any period of prolonged absence.
Iran
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department plans to provide for victims of the recent earthquake in Iran. [218384]
Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Newark to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr. Simmonds) on 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1065W.
Mine Clearance
Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in what countries his Department is funding mine clearance. [220353]
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Hilary Benn: During the current financial year (2004–05), DFID is supporting bilateral demining projects in the following countries:
Palestine
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the amount of Palestinian (a) arable land and (b) water resources which are now on the Israeli side of the separation barrier. [218725]
Hilary Benn: UN reports last year estimated that around 157,000 acres of land, some 11.5 per cent. of the West Bank and home to over 93,000 Palestinians would lie between the completed separation barrier and the 1949 Armistice Line (excluding East Jerusalem). This land includes some of the West Bank's richest agricultural land and covers part of the aquifer system which is a major source of water resources for the West Bank. The barrier also affects Palestinian access to groundwater wells in the West Bank which had previously supplied water for both drinking and agriculture. Precise figures on this are not available. The proposed route of the barrier has recently been altered by the Israeli Cabinet in response to calls from the international community and the Israeli judicial system to minimise the impact on Palestinian livelihoods. There has been no authoritative analysis yet of the impact of the changes. While some improvement is expected there will continue to be inevitable and significant disruption to the lives of Palestinians living near the route of the barrier.
Targets
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to deliver improved effectiveness of UK and international support for conflict prevention by addressing long-term structural causes of conflict, managing regional and national tension and violence, and supporting post-conflict reconstruction, where the UK can make a significant contribution, in particular Africa, Asia, Balkans and the Middle East, by 2008 will be met; [219568]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to improve trading opportunities for developing countries and a more competitive Europe will be met by 2008; [219571]
(3) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that the EU secures significant reductions in EU and world trade barriers by 2008 will be met; [219572]
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(4) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that 90 per cent. of eligible heavily indebted poor countries committed to poverty reduction that have reached decision point by the end of 2005 received irrevocable debt relief by the end of 2008 will be met. [219576]
Hilary Benn: These four questions relate to targets in the Department for International Development's Public Service Agreement (PSA) for the period 2005 to 2008. This PSA will be implemented from 1 April 2005. Progress against the targets will first be assessed in DFID's Autumn Performance Report 2005 (which we expect to be published in December 2005).
DFID also has targets relating to conflict prevention, trade and debt relief in its 2003–06 PSA. Progress against these targets has been assessed twice-yearly in DFID's Autumn Performance Reports and Departmental Reports. The most recent analysis of performance against DFID's PSA targets was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all 2003–06 PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of EC Overseas Development Assistance to low-income countries from 38 per cent. to 70 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219570]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that 75 per cent. of eligible heavily indebted poor countries committed to poverty reduction receive irrevocable debt relief by 2006 will be met; [219575]
(3) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of his Department's bilateral programmes evaluated as successful by 2006 will be met; [219579]
(4) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of his Department's bilateral programme going to low-income countries from 78 per cent. to 90 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219580]
(5) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to secure improved trading opportunities between the UK and developing countries by 2005 will be met; [219582]
(6) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to secure agreement to a significant reduction in trade barriers by 2005 will be met; [219583]
(7) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to work with international partners to make progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goals; [219584]
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(8) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the impact of EC external programmes on poverty reduction; [219585]
(9) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of 15 to 24-year-old pregnant women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa from 16 per cent. by 2006; [219587]
(10) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school in Asia from 87 per cent. to 94 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219588]
(11) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in South Asia from 42 per cent. to 32 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219589]
(12) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa from 48 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219590]
(13) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school in sub-Saharan Africa from 89 per cent. to 96 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219591]
(14) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of births attended by skilled birth attendants in Asia from 39 per cent. to 57 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219592]
(15) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the cure treatment rate of tuberculosis to above 85 per cent. in Asia by 2006 will be met; [219601]
(16) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the detection rate of tuberculosis to above 70 per cent. in Asia by 2006 will be met; [219602]
(17) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the prevalence rate of HIV amongst vulnerable groups in Asia to below 5 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219603]
(18) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the under-five years mortality rate of girls and boys in Asia from 92 to 68 per 1,000 live births by 2006 will be met; [219604]
(19) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase primary school enrolment in Asia from 95 per cent. to 100 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219605]
(20) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in East Asia and the Pacific from 15 per cent. to 10 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219606]
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(21) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to support the effective implementation of the G8 Action plan for Africa; [219607]
(22) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the number of people whose lives are affected by violent conflict in sub-Saharan Africa by 2006; [219608]
(23) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the UK contribution to conflict prevention and management in sub-Saharan Africa; [219609]
(24) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of births attended by skilled birth attendants in sub-Saharan Africa from 49 per cent. to 67 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219610]
(25) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the under-five years mortality rate of girls and boys in sub-Saharan Africa from 158 to 139 per 1,000 live births by 2006 will be met; [219611]
(26) what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase primary school enrolment in sub-Saharan Africa from 58 per cent. to 72 per cent. by 2006 will be met; [219612]
Hilary Benn: Details of the Department for International Development's performance against its 2003–06 Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets are published twice a year, in the Autumn Performance Report (December) and the Departmental Report (April). The most recent analysis of performance against DFID's PSA targets was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all the PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the humanitarian aid system; [219573]
(2) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the UN agencies. [219574]
Hilary Benn:
The Department for International Development's 2003–06 Public Service Agreement does not have PSA targets as specifically worded in these questions. However, we do monitor improvements in the institutional effectiveness of 12 multilateral agencies,
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as an indicator of progress against the following sub-target:
"Work with international partners to make progress against the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals".
The 12 agencies monitored include the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and seven United Nations agencies.
The most recent analysis of performance against this PSA sub-target was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to enhance partnership at the country and regional level to ensure that international policies support African development; [219577]
(2) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to enhance partnership at the country and regional level to increase the effectiveness of aid in African development; [219578]
(3) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the effective response of multilateral agencies to conflict and humanitarian crises; [219593]
(4) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the impact of multilateral agencies in reducing poverty. [219594]
Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's 2003–2006 Public Service Agreement does not contain targets as worded in these questions. However, we do have sub-targets that relate to the subject matter of these questions:
Effective implementation of the G8 Action Plan for Africa in support of enhanced partnership at the regional and country level.
Work with international partners to make progress towards the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals.
The most recent analysis of performance against these sub-targets was published in DFID's Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all the PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to develop evidence-based, innovative approaches to international development; [219581]
(2) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in North Africa; [219595]
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(3) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in the Middle East; [219596]
(4) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in the Caribbean; [219597]
(5) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in Latin America; [219598]
(6) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in Central Asia; [219599]
(7) what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce poverty in Europe. [219600]
Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's 2003–2006 Public Service Agreement includes the following two objectives:
Objective III—reduce poverty in Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa.
There are no specific PSA targets attached to DFID's work under these two objectives, and therefore progress is not assessed in the same way as for the five targets. Nonetheless, DFID provides details of its work in these areas in its annual Departmental Reports, which are available in the Library of the House of Commons and on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). An updated analysis of DFID's performance in these areas will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.
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