| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
23 Jan 2006 : Column 1751W—continued
Zimbabwe
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are in place to monitor the application of British Government aid in Zimbabwe. [42470]
Hilary Benn:
DFID channels its support to the people of Zimbabwe through United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations, rather than providing direct support to the Government of Zimbabwe.
23 Jan 2006 : Column 1752W
All proposals for DFID funding are subject to rigorous scrutiny, particularly with regard to the target group affected by the intervention in question, transparency of funding mechanisms and the presence of robust monitoring and evaluation systems. DFID Zimbabwe requires regular reporting from partner organisations and carries out its own monitoring and evaluation exercises on a regular, generally quarterly or six-monthly, basis. In cases where partner organisations are funded in instalments, funding is contingent upon evidence that previous contributions from DFID have been disbursed in the manner agreed in our formal agreement with that organisation.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money the British Government gave under their aid programme in Zimbabwe to (a) the Republic Police Grant, (b) the Zimbabwe Republic Police Organisation Development, (c) the UK/Zimbabwe Air Traffic Control Radar, (d) Land Rovers ATP and (e) LANPOL Police ATP in each year between 1997 and 2001. [42472]
Hilary Benn: The following table shows how much money the UK Government gave under their aid programme in Zimbabwe to the following programmes between 1997 and 2001.
The Republic Police Grant and the Zimbabwe Republic Police Organisation Development programme are one and the same.
(8)Indicates that amount was returned to DFID.
DFID suspended development assistance to Zimbabwe in 2002, in protest at continuing disregard for democratic principles and mismanagement of the economy by the Government of Zimbabwe. Since that time, DFID has only supported the international response to the humanitarian and HIV/AIDS crisis in Zimbabwe, through funding to United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government will be taking to help alleviate the effects of the recent cholera outbreak in Harare, Zimbabwe. [43906]
Hilary Benn: There have been several outbreaks of cholera across Zimbabwe in the past two months, which is not unusual at this time of year. In Harare, there have been five suspected cases with three deaths. There have been other outbreaks, including in the Chikomba district (219 suspected cases and seven deaths), and the Buhera district (51 suspected cases and three deaths). While the Harare figures remain low by comparison and do not yet constitute an epidemic, the danger of cholera spreading rapidly through urban areas with high population density remains high.
The Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, supported by the World Health Organisation, has led investigations into suspected cases in Harare and notes that, although many cases have been presented with symptoms suggestive of cholera, only a few have been given a positive diagnosis following laboratory tests.
The situation so far is under control. DFID is in contact with the World Health Organisation and UNICEF who are monitoring the situation closely. DFID has funded an emergency preparedness project with the Save the Children Fund (UK), who have stocks of cholera kits for deployment, including intravenous fluids, should this be necessary. Should the problem escalate, DFID stands ready to offer additional assistance in the form of funds for procurement of commodities as well as provision of technical expertise according to need.
23 Jan 2006 : Column 1753W
LEADER OF THE HOUSE
Departmental Staff
Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House how many disciplinary actions against civil servants employed in his Office (a) were commenced and (b) resulted in a sanction being applied in each of the last five years. [43504]
Mr. Hoon: No disciplinary action has been taken against civil servants in the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons within the last five years.
Ministerial Visits
David Mundell: To ask the Leader of the House further to his oral statement of 17 November 2005, Official Report, column 1115, what the arrangements are for his visit to the Scottish Parliament to discuss Sewel motions. [43028]
Mr. Hoon: My visit to the Scottish Parliament has not yet been confirmed.
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Early-day Motions
Mr. Steen: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost was of printing and administering early day motions in each of the last four parliamentary Sessions. [44625]
Nick Harvey: House of Commons printing and publishing charges are calculated in arrears by financial year and are therefore available only in this form. The cost of printing and publishing early day motions (EDMs), to the nearest £1,000, for the last four financial years, has been:
| Amount (£) | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 338,000 |
| 2002–03 | 516,000 |
| 2003–04 | 573,000 |
| 2004–05 | 614,000 |
As a consequence of in House origination and pagination, the cost per printed page has been held at around £60 a page over the past three years, compared to the cost in 2000–01 of £77 a page.
Other costs associated with administering EDMs, such as editorial preparation and control, and electronic publishing, are not separately identifiable. The number of EDMs tabled, and the number of signatures added, have risen markedly in the past four years:
| Average number of EDMs tabled per week | Average number of signatures added per week | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 41 | 2,167 |
| 2002–03 | 52 | 2,673 |
| 2003–04 | 63 | 3,055 |
| 2004–05 | 60 | 3,090 |
23 Jan 2006 : Column 1754W
Mail (Security Scanning)
Mr. Drew: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the organisation which is responsible for security scanning mail to the House; on how many occasions the House authorities have made complaints about its work; what assessment has been made of the environmental consequences of the journeys required to process mail; and if he will make a statement. [44424]
Nick Harvey: The performance of the company responsible for security scanning is under constant review with regular meetings being held between representatives of the company and representatives of both Houses of Parliament. A number of teething problems occurred during the first weeks of the new contract last year; these appear to have abated and there has been no cause for complaint in the last two months. Some of the concerns raised were related to the interface between the screening and the mail processes, and both organisations involved have worked hard to improve these. No assessment has been made of the environmental consequences of the journeys required to process the mail, in view of the need for extensive off-site security screening in the current security climate.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Civil Servants
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent in each year since 1997 by her Department on salaries paid to civil servants. [41582]
Mr. Lammy: The Department's civil servant salary costs in each year since 1997 are shown in the table:
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |