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London Safety Plan

John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many responses were received to the public consultation exercise by the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority on the Draft London Safety Plan (a) supporting and (b) opposing the proposals in the Draft Plan. [220467]

 
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Mr. Raynsford: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 7 March 2005, Official Report, column 1550W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr.Dismore).

RAF Aston Down

Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list representations he has received in the last 12 months regarding future (a) planning and (b) business uses of the former RAF Aston Down site. [220665]

Keith Hill: Due to the application of the Data Protection Act it is generally not possible for my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister to disclose the names and addresses of those who have written to him in connection with any matter. An exception to this is where the correspondence received is such that it would, in the ordinary course of events, be likely to be made publicly available. Representations submitted in connection with the merits of a registered planning application fall into this category. However, such representations are generally made direct to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) which is dealing with the application, and not to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister.

In this case, there are currently two planning applications registered with Stroud DC and Cotswolds DC, being the relevant LPAs for the site. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has not received any representations from third parties on the merits of those applications. The Government office for the south-west has received other correspondence in connection with the current use of the site and the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in connection with the current planning applications. However, given the nature of this correspondence, it would be in breach of the Data Protection Act for us to supply the information requested by my hon. Friend.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Service Personnel

Mr. Evans: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what action the Electoral Commission is taking to ensure that all members of the armed services are able to vote in the forthcoming general election. [221096]

Mr. Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has undertaken a considerable amount of work in partnership with the Ministry of Defence to make those in the armed forces aware of the need to register to vote and how to do so, that the deadline for registration can be up to two months before an election, and in particular that the deadline for registration in time to vote in any election taking place on 5 May is 11 March. This work includes a publicity leaflet, of which over 110,000 copies have so far been ordered by the Ministry and other organisations. In addition, the Commission is providing information on its websites, and has been working with the British Forces Broadcasting Service and several services publications to generate coverage about this issue.
 
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CAMFED Projects

Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding he has provided for CAMFED International projects in the last five years; and what funding he plans to provide for those projects. [220717]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: CAMFED is currently receiving DFID funding for two ongoing projects. Both projects were approved within the last five years, and are due for completion this year. These are:

a project to address the widespread exclusion of rural girls from education in Ghana, which began in 2001 at a cost of £149,000.

a project to promote a safe environment for girls in Zimbabwe, which also began in 2001 at a cost of £398,000.

Drug Treatments

Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to expand the use of proven effective drug combinations for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria treatment in developing countries. [220771]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are committed to increasing access to medicines in developing countries, including drug treatment programmes for HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. In recent years, there has been considerable progress in making medicines for the treatment of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria more affordable.

The UK has worked with the pharmaceutical industry to encourage differential pricing that provides affordable medicines for developing country use. This includes recommendations agreed with industry on differential pricing from the UK Working Group on Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in Developing Countries in November 2002.

The UK supports developing countries to make use of internationally agreed flexibilities in the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPs) agreement, that allow recourse to the use of generic versions of proprietary medicines where there is a public health need.

The UK has pledged £259 million to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). 49 per cent. of GFATM grants go towards the procurement of drugs and commodities for AIDS, TB and malaria resulting in 130,00 people on HIV treatment, 385,000 treated for TB and 300,000 people treated with effective artemisinin containing treatments (ACTs) for malaria. Additional commitments for each of the three diseases are set out as follows:

The HIV and AIDS Treatment and Care Policy, published in June 2004, sets out the UK's commitment to increasing access to HIV treatment in developing countries. The UK has provided £3 million to support the work of the World Health Organisation on HIV and
 
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AIDS, with a strong focus on its role supporting the target of 3 million people on treatment by 2005 (3 by 5). In total, the UK has committed to spend £1.5 billion on HIV and AIDS from 2005–07, a significant part of which will support increased access to treatment.

The UK has provided £2 million to the Stop TB Partnership since 2002. The Partnership has established mechanisms, which support countries to access stable supplies of effective anti-TB medicines.

DFID is the largest funder of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partnership, having contributed £48 million to date. The UK is working with RBM and other partners to secure greater international commitment for affordable pricing of ACTs. DFID Kenya has also recently awarded a start up grant of £35,000 to support increased cultivation of artemisia annua in Kenya. This is the key raw material for ACT production and is currently in short supply.

Effective health systems are equally important if all medicines are to be delivered safely. The UK has committed over £1.5 billion since 1997 to help developing countries strengthen the health and supply systems. Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in Developing Countries: UK Policy and Plans', published in June 2004, gives further information on UK positions and activities in this crucial area.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance is being provided to the Iraqi Health Ministry for the provision of prosthetic limbs to Iraqi children injured in the conflict and subsequent insurgency. [219873]

Hilary Benn: Assistance to the Basra Prosthetics Centre has been provided by the Coalition Provisional Authority and by the UK military. They have funded the purchase, repair and delivery of prosthetic equipment. Repairs to the Centre's facilities are currently under consideration by the UK military under their Quick Impact Projects (QIPs). The Basra Prosthetics Centre provides a number of services including assessment, treatment and provision of lower limb prosthetics to Iraqis throughout Southern Iraq. It treats accident victims, disabled people, amputees including mine victims, and patients with cerebral palsy, polio and rheumatic conditions. It also provides physiotherapy to post-operative patients.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works to support amputees in Iraq, although their activities have been constrained by the security situation. The ICRC is supporting five orthopaedic centres in central and southern Iraq with components, spare parts, local purchases and maintenance machinery. DFID has committed a total of £16.5 million to the ICRC since March 2003 in support of their activities in Iraq. UNICEF is also involved in assisting Iraqi children in particularly vulnerable situations. This includes help for disabled children.
 
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DFID's broader support to the Iraqi health sector includes technical advice to the Ministry of Health, £5 million in assistance via the World Health Organisation (WHO) and part of our £70 million contribution to the multi-donor trust funds managed in line with Iraqi priorities by the United Nations and the World Bank. Additionally, DFID's Civil Society Fund for Iraq works to strengthen the capacity of Iraqi civil society organisations to better address the needs of poor and vulnerable groups, and includes support specifically focused on the needs of children.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to provide assistance to disabled children in Iraq, with particular reference to children disabled by recent military action. [220807]

Hilary Benn: DFID's support to the Iraqi health sector includes technical advice to the Ministry of Health, £5 million in assistance via the World Health Organisation (WHO) and part of our £70 million contribution to the multi-donor trust funds managed in line with Iraqi priorities by the United Nations and the World Bank. Additionally, DFID's Civil Society Fund for Iraq works to strengthen the capacity of Iraqi civil society organisations to better address the needs of poor and vulnerable groups, and includes support specifically focused on the needs of children.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been working to support amputees in Iraq, although their activities have been constrained by the security situation. The ICRC is supporting five orthopaedic centres in central and southern Iraq with components, spare parts, local purchases and maintenance machinery. DFID has committed a total of £16.5 million to the ICRC since March 2003 in support of their activities in Iraq.

UNICEF is also working to assist Iraqi children in particularly vulnerable situations. This includes help for disabled children.

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