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30 Jan 2006 : Column 11W—continued
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Christmas Cards
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will estimate the cost to his Department of sending Christmas cards in 2005. [46483]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) produced its own 'Season's Greetings' in 2005 at a cost of £2,102.09 for 7,000 copies. As individual teams from across DFID were responsible for mailing out cards to stakeholders and contacts, to obtain information relating to postage charges would incur a disproportionate cost.
Ethiopia
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on UK aid to Ethiopia. [46527]
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Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness to the statement I made on 24 January 2006, Official Report, column 49WS.
Global Fund
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding the UK Government has allocated for the Global Fund for each of the next five years. [46451]
Mr. Thomas: The UK has committed £359 million to the Global Fund for the period 2002 to 2008. Our contribution in 2005 was £51 million, which brings our total contribution to date to £159 million.
Over the next two years we have pledged to provide £100 million to the Global Fund for 2006 and £100 million for 2007 to support the Fund's estimated resource needs of US$7 billion for this period. The two-year total of £200 million represents 8.4 per cent. of the total pledged to date (ie. £3.4 billion) and 5.1 per cent. of the US$7 billion. This is above our Gross National Income (GNI) fair share and is consistent with our past support. The UK is currently the fourth largest donor for the period 2006–07; after France, the US and Japan, and the second largest in the EU.
Good Governance
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to promote good governance in the developing world; and if he will make a statement. [45643]
Mr. Thomas: Good governance is at the core of DFID's work to reduce poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)s. This recognises that developing and transitional states' ability to achieve the MDGs and eliminate poverty will depend greatly on the quality of their governance.
DFID encourages improved governance and assists with governance reforms through specific programme activities, aid allocations and use of different ways of delivering aid. DFID's work supports seven broad areas: political systems that extend opportunities to poor people; economic management that brings stability and facilitates investment; delivery of policies that benefit the poor; raising revenue and delivering public services; maintenance of safety security and justice; national security; and accountability and tackling corruption. Governance reforms need to be prioritised, achievable and appropriate to context.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Department of International Development will be speaking about governance and its role in eliminating poverty on February 2nd at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. I will ensure a copy of his speech is sent to the hon. Member for Guildford (Anne Milton).
Madagascar
Ben Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what discussions he has had with Water Aid on the impact of its work of the closure of the British embassy in Madagascar; and if he will make a statement; [45574]
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(2) what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure of the British embassy on the sustainable development of Madagascar. [45611]
Hilary Benn: I have had no discussions with Water Aid on the impact of the closure of the British embassy in Madagascar on its work. British interests in Madagascar are currently represented by an Honorary Consul. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office are in the process of accrediting the British high commissioner in Port Louis, Mauritius, as non-resident ambassador to Madagascar.
As DFID does not have a bilateral development programme with Madagascar the closure of the embassy is unlikely to have any effect on the sustainable development of the country.
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department intends to take to support Madagascar's programme of development and good governance. [45609]
Hilary Benn: DFID does not have a bilateral development programme with Madagascar, but we provide significant support through our share of European Union and multilateral agencies' development programmes. In 2003 (the latest figures we have), the UK's imputed share of multilateral aid going to Madagascar was £33.9 million, primarily through assistance from the World Bank, European Commission and United Nations agencies.
Pension Costs
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by (a) his Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) Executive agency and (iii) other public body for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06. [40002]
Mr. Thomas: Following the response I gave to the hon. Member on 24 January 2006, Official Report, column 1962W; I now wish to submit the following answer.
The question asked about the cost of pension contributions incurred by my department, my response stated that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Department for International Development was not responsible for any non-departmental government bodies, executive agencies or other public body, this is factually incorrect; my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State is responsible for the following non departmental public bodies:
There are however, no pension contribution costs incurred in respect of these bodies.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which British Government
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aid programmes were conducted through the Government of Zimbabwe between 1997 and 2003; and what their total value was. [42471]
Hilary Benn: Between 1997 and 2003 DFID supported some 60 projects in Zimbabwe which involved the Government and public sector organisations, with a total spend of £145 million. These projects ranged from a substantial sexual health project with a commitment of £9 million to initiatives on anti-corruption involving grants as little as £10,000. Sectors included health, education, water and sanitation, agriculture, forestry, livestock, wildlife and tourism, infrastructure, private sector development, civil society, justice, public reform, local government and public finance.
DFID suspended development assistance to the Government of Zimbabwe in 2002, in protest of the continuing disregard for democratic principles and mismanagement of the economy by the Government of Zimbabwe. Since that time, DFID has supported the international response to the humanitarian and HIV/AIDS crisis in Zimbabwe, through funding to United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations, but has provided no funding to the Government of Zimbabwe.
TRANSPORT
A1 (Roundabout Removal)
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to begin on the roundabout removal on the A1 at (a) Apleyhead and (b) Blyth. [45744]
Dr. Ladyman: The anticipated start dates for works for the Apleyhead and Blyth junctions subject to the availability of funds and the satisfactory completion of the appropriate statutory procedures are:
A11 (Dualling)
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an announcement on the dualling of the A11 between Fiveways Roundabout and Thetford; and if he will make a statement. [45956]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 384W.
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