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16 Mar 2005 : Column 343W—continued
Uganda
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the percentage of Ugandan gross domestic product spent on (a) health, (b) education, (c) agriculture and (d) defence; and if he will make a statement. [221274]
Mr. Mullin: Figures from the 2003–04 approved budget are as follows:
| GDP (percentage) | |
|---|---|
| Health | 2.9 |
| Education | 4.5 |
| Agriculture | 0.8 |
| Security (defence) | 2.5 |
Uganda has a well-developed and consultative budgetary process. Donors are involved throughout, and have an opportunity to endorse the budget at the annual Public Expenditure Review. This level of consultation allows partners, including the UK, to ensure Government meets its commitment to prioritise poverty reduction. Budget execution is generally good and closely monitored by Government and donors, including the International Financial Institutions. Our Poverty Reduction Budget Support, and that of other partners such as the World Bank, is conditional on our endorsement of the budget and its subsequent execution.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the strength of the
16 Mar 2005 : Column 344W
Ugandan Presidential Protection Brigade; whether the UK is offering it technical assistance; and if he will make a statement. [221275]
Mr. Mullin: In our discussions with the Uganda Government concerning implementation of their Defence Review, they have declined to identify separately the Presidential Guard Brigade. We have given it no technical assistance.
We apply strong controls in the management of our development assistance to Uganda to ensure it is used for the purposes for which it is intended. Security is required for sustainable development, but defence spending should be justified and affordable.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Ugandan Constitutional Amendment Bill 2005, with particular reference to the proposal to lift limits on presidential terms; and if he will make a statement. [221971]
Mr. Mullin: Given Uganda's past, it is important that any constitutional changes have the genuine confidence of the people and their representatives. The Constitutional Amendment Bill proposes significant revisions of a Constitution that is only 10 years old. We have urged that the Ugandan Parliament be allowed to vote on proposed amendments individually—including that relating to presidential terms—according to its established rules and in the spirit of provisions for change set out in Uganda's Constitution.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports that groups in Uganda are recruiting, training and deploying militia for political purposes; what discussions he has had with Ugandan counterparts about such groups; and if he will make a statement. [221972]
Mr. Mullin: There are reports of the reactivation of the Kalangala Action Plan, a pro-Government militia which was implicated in violence during the 2001 elections. We have raised our concerns with the Ugandan authorities. They have assured us that any illegal activity will bring immediate action by the police.
There are also concerns that ethnic militia recruited to fight against the Lord's Resistance Army in northern Uganda could be deployed in the 2006 elections. We have raised, and continue to raise, our concerns about this with the Government of Uganda and have urged them to bring all militias under the formal control of the army.