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18 Apr 2006 : Column 523W—continued
Aid Expenditure
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the UK's gross domestic product was given to foreign aid and development in the 2004–05 financial year; and what the total monetary figure was. [63134]
Hilary Benn: UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) as a proportion of Gross National Income (GNI) is reported annually on a calendar year basis in line with international reporting conventions. The UK's ODA as a proportion of GNI for 2004 was 0.36 per cent. and the provisional figure for 2005 is 0.48 per cent. The UK's total ODA in 2004 was £4,302 million and the provisional figure for 2005 is £5,916 million.
Avian Influenza
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 184W, on avian influenza, what information he has on the availability per capita of anti-viral drugs in (a) Nigeria, (b) Niger and (c) Cameroon. [62636]
Mr. Thomas: In Nigeria, there are 10,000 doses of the anti-viral Tamiflu. DFID has made funds available to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for a further 5,000 doses of Tamiflu. This is the first step in developing a contingency response to the outbreak of avian influenza in Nigeria. DFID's assistance is part of the £550,000 grant that has been given to the World Health Organisation and builds on the 15,000 personal protection kits that we have provided for distribution to front-line workers and those involved in surveillance of the disease.
As stated in my answer of 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 184W, DFID does not have major programmes in Niger or Cameroon and our direct access to information on anti-viral drugs is therefore limited. The WHO has reported that it is stockpiling sufficient anti-viral drugs for three million treatment courses, which will be reserved for use in the first areas affected by an emerging pandemic virus.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution the Government have made to (a) the World Bank and (b) other international efforts to combat the global impact of the H5N1 virus. [63843]
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Mr. Thomas: At the International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza, held in Beijing in January, DFID pledged £20 million over the next three years to multilateral organisations. We await clarification from the World Bank of outstanding multilateral priorities in the light of other donor pledges before deciding how the £20 million will be spent.
DFID is also considering support from our bilateral programme for individual countries, while other parts of the UK Government are offering technical support in their areas of expertise.
The UK Government are supporting the work of the UN System Influenza Co-ordinator and international organisations, including the World Bank and European Commission, in promoting and co-ordinating an effective international response that recognises the importance of action in and for the benefit of poorer countries.
Capita Group
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much business his Department has placed with (a) Capita Group plc and (b) its subsidiaries in each of the last five years; what the total value is of outstanding contracts placed with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries by his Department; for which current tenders issued by his Department (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries have been invited to bid; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have seconded staff (1) temporarily and (2) on a longer-term basis to (X) his Department and (Y) its agencies. [61071]
Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell to an answer given on 13 February 2003, Official Report, column 921W, which provided details of contracts awarded to Capita Group plc and subsidiaries for 2001–02 and 2002–03. These contracts have now ended. The Department for International Development (DFID) and Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) have no other contracts with Capita or any of its subsidiaries. There are no current tenders for which they have been invited to bid, and no seconded staff in office.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what the value of contracts held by his Department with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries was in the last three financial years; [61444]
(2) how many tenders (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries have submitted to his Department in each of the last three years; and how many tenders were successful. [61445]
Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development ( DFID ) did not have any contracts with or receive any tenders from Capita plc or its subsidiaries during the last three financial years.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many contracts his Department holds with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries which still have a potential duration of five years or more. [61446]
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Hilary Benn: The Department For International Development (DFID) does not have any contracts with Capita plc or its subsidiaries.
Sudan
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of (a) internally displaced people and (b) refugees in other countries arising from the situation in Darfur. [62587]
Hilary Benn: The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) currently estimates the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Darfur at 1.8 million. Although the first three months of 2005 have seen further displacement, estimated at up to 140,000, ongoing headcount and re-registration exercises amongst existing IDPs have reduced previous estimates. The overall figure has therefore stayed reasonably stable.
There are an estimated 200,000 Darfuri refugees in Chad as a result of the conflict in Darfur. Since January 2006, a further 3,600 displaced people have crossed the border from West Darfur into the eastern Chadian.
Departmental Sick Leave (Stress)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people have been on sick leave suffering from stress in his Department in each of the last three years; and what percentage of the total staff number this represents. [63560]
Mr. Thomas: The number of DFID staff who have been on sick leave suffering from stress in each of the last three years, and the percentage of staff that this represents are in the following table.
| Number of cases | Percentage of staff | |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 27 | 1.38 |
| 2004 | 24 | 1.21 |
| 2005 | 24 | 1.28 |
| 2006 | — | — |
The figures given in the table relate to permanent and fixed term Home Civil Service staff and will cover a range of stress induced illnesses, including work related stress.
DFID recognises work related stress as an occupational health and safety issue and is currently putting the Health and Safety Executive's Management Standards for handling work related stress into practice.
A comprehensive risk assessment was carried out in 2004 and we are currently in the process of implementing a Stress Prevention Strategy within the department. A number of measures have been put in place to deal with work related stress, including stress management training; an employee assistance programme; a counselling service; flexible working arrangements and an occupational healthcare scheme.
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Departmental Televisions
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Ministers' private offices and (c) in each building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department. [62805]
Mr. Thomas: DFID has 36 televisions in its three UK offices. Four are in Minister's and associated private offices. There are 22 televisions in total in the main building at 1 Palace street, London (including the four above), a further seven in DFID's office at 20 Victoria street, London, and seven in our East Kilbride office. Each of the three buildings holds its own single television license.
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