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Sudan
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in (a) Darfur and (b) Southern Sudan. [55328]
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Hilary Benn: The information is as follows:
Across the whole of Darfur, there are 1.8 million internally displaced people and 3.4 million dependent on humanitarian assistance. The priority is to provide assistance and protection for them, and to find a political solution that will allow people to return home and rebuild their lives.
Although the massive humanitarian response in Darfur has had a positive impact on malnutrition and mortality rates, the region remains highly dependant on food aid. This year there is expected to be above average food production, but the ability of Darfur to bring in the harvest depends on security which remains extremely fragile in many areas. Even with a good harvest, an estimated three million people in Darfur will still require food aid.
Instability, fighting and banditry in South and West Darfur, particularly along the border zone with Chad, is severely hampering humanitarian agencies operating in those areas. Violence and attacks on humanitarian agencies' staff and assets has lead to a reduction in presence, and total withdrawals in some areas, by both the UN and NGOs, leaving many vulnerable people with a greatly reduced level of assistance. Until a political settlement is reached to end the fighting and re-impose the rule of law, the civilian population of Darfur will continue to bear the heaviest burden.
The UK is the second largest bilateral humanitarian donor in Darfur (after the US), providing over £96 million since September 2003. These funds have meant that hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people have been provided with shelter, food, water and basic health care. The UK is also actively supporting the peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, in the search for a sustainable political settlement.
The humanitarian situation remains fragile. Pockets of instability, noticeably in the Upper Nile, Eastern and Western Equatoria have resulted in continued internal displacement. A recent cholera outbreak in and around Yei and Juba underlines the threat of disease and the imminent rainy season will only serve to increase the difficulties faced by vulnerable people, and the humanitarian agencies ability to assist them.
While this year's harvest is predicted to be good, there will continue to be areas of high vulnerability due to insecurity and poor market access. Malnutrition levels in many areas are commensurate with, and in some cases worse than, those found in Darfur.
To date, the large number of returns of refugees and internally displaced people predicted by the UN has still not taken place. Although there is still potential for significant movement in the run-up to the rainy season, this is considered unlikely. To support the returns process, the UK is providing early and significant contributions to the UN 2006 Work plan, from which the UN humanitarian co-ordinator has already allocated over $40 million to the South.
In addition to funding vital non-governmental organisations (NGOs) humanitarian programmes in the South, the UK is providing financial support to an emergency response fund for the South to deal with
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emergencies, such as the cholera outbreak. For longer term recovery and development, the UK is establishing the £10 million service delivery fund which will act as a bridge to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund while it develops projects for funding to meet longer term development needs.
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the recent outbreak of cholera in Sudan; and what steps his Department is taking to prevent the disease spreading. [58041]
Hilary Benn: DFID have been closely monitoring the cholera outbreak in Southern Sudan since it began late January. The outbreak started in Yei town in Southern Sudan and subsequently spread to Juba and a dozen other towns further East and North. To date (12 March) 212 people have died from the disease from a case load of 6,744. The recent outbreak and its subsequent rapid spread to neighbouring towns underlines the threat of disease while the imminent onset of the rainy season will serve to increase the difficulties faced by vulnerable people.
DFID has been active in supporting the co-ordination of response efforts in the South and in monitoring the situation. The emergency preparedness and response unit managed by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) together with the World Food Organisation (WHO) have been at the forefront of co-ordinating the response to the outbreak. DFID has been working closely with OCHA providing technical advice, support and funding.
Through the Emergency Response Fund (ERF) of UNOCHA, DFID has provided over $350,000 to eight UN agencies and non-governmental organisations assisting with the response to the cholera outbreak. An additional $750,000 of DFID funds remains with the ERF for continued assistance to agencies if the disease spreads further.
In addition to support for such chronic and rapid onset emergencies, the UK is providing early and significant contributions to the UN 2006 Work plan, from which the UN humanitarian co-ordinator has already allocated over $40 million to the South including an allocation of US $500,000 to the Emergency Response Fund. The UN humanitarian co-ordinator additionally holds an emergency reserve of $10 million (to which DFID was a significant contributor) which could be accessed to scale up the response to the outbreak should the need arise.
ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE
Overseas Voters
Mr. Evans:
To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission pursuant to his Oral Answer of 6 March 2006, Official Report, column 605, on overseas voters, whether he has received any further information from the Electoral Commission on the number of
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(a) parliamentary constituencies with no registered overseas voters and (b) such voters registered in Ribble Valley constituency. [58896]
Peter Viggers: In my answer in the House on 6 March, I stated that there were 45 parliamentary constituencies with no registered overseas voters, and that there were four such voters registered in the Ribble Valley constituency. These figures, based on registers as at 1 December 2005, had been given to me by the Electoral Commission. I have now been informed by the Commission that these figures are incorrect, and that there were only 14 parliamentary constituencies with no registered overseas voters and that there were 45 such voters registered in the Ribble Valley constituency. The Commission has advised me that this mistake arose from a misinterpretation on its part of the relevant ONS data. I regret having given the House incorrect information and welcome this opportunity to correct the record.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Benefits
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the merits of conducting an employability and capability assessment immediately an initial claim for employment and support allowance is made. [52711]
Margaret Hodge: In the Green Paper; A new deal for welfare: empowering people to work"; we have proposed that the assessment phase should last three months. During this time we will assess both a claimant's eligibility for benefit and capability for work. Assessing an individual at a relatively early stage of their claim allows us to intervene early to maximise their chances of returning to work. However, many people will be on employment and support allowance for very short periods of time and so carrying out assessments too early in a claim could lead to nugatory assessments taking place.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many hours a week Sir David Henshaw will spend as the chair of the Child Support Agency Operational Improvement Plan. [56391]
Mr. Plaskitt: Sir David Henshaw has not been asked to be the chair of the Child Support Agency Operational Improvement Plan. Delivery of the content of the plan is a matter for the agency chief executive, Stephen Geraghty.
However as announced on 9 February by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Sir David has been asked to lead the work to redesign the child support system. The full terms of reference for this work are in the Library and on the Department for Work and Pensions website at www.dwp.gov.uk/childsupport
Sir David has been asked to deliver his findings to the Secretary of State by summer recess.
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Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2006, Official Report, column 233W, on child support, how many times the Child Support Agency has used the discretionary power under section 41A of the Child Support Act 1991 to issue penalty payments in each year since 2001. [56880]
Mr. Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As the Chief Executive is currently on leave, I am responding on his behalf.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27th February 2006 Official Report column 233W on child support if he will give details of the number of times the Child Support Agency has used the discretionary power under section 41A of the Child Support Act 1991 to issue penalty payments in each year since 2001.
The Agency does not currently collect volumes of the number of penalty payments either requested from non-resident parents or paid under Section 41A of the Child Support Act 1991.
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