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8 Jun 2006 : Column 770W—continued
Nepal
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what direct funding his Department has allocated to the Government of Nepal in 2006-07; and what provision has been made within that amount for the establishment of a Defence Ministry. [73724]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 25 May 2006]: DFID currently plans to provide £6.8 million in direct assistance to the Government of Nepal in the financial year 2006-07. This will support Government programmes in health, basic education, rural roads and agriculture, all of which target poor people.
The total planned bilateral DFID assistance for 2006-07 is currently £30 million, with the £23.2 million balance being channelled mainly through non-Government organisations, multilateral organisations, or directly through DFID—administered projects. In many of these projects, the Government of Nepal is an important partner, even though DFID funds do not go through the Government budget.
No provision has been made from DFID’s bilateral programme for support to the Nepali Defence Ministry.
Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the UK has provided support to ensure the ceasefire in Nepal is effectively monitored. [74180]
Mr. Thomas: The issue of ceasefire monitoring is currently under negotiation between the Government of Nepal and the Maoists, and no arrangements are yet in place. The UK Government recognise the need for effective ceasefire monitoring and the importance of sufficient resources being made available by the international community. The interdepartmental Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) is a potential source of UK funding and this is currently being considered.
Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the UK has restructured its aid to Nepal in order to support the new democratic Government in Nepal. [74181]
Mr. Thomas: The recent political developments in Nepal offer an important new opportunity to make progress towards a lasting peace and a return to multi-party democracy. DFID is currently considering, with other donors and other UK Government Departments, how best to respond to the new situation, so that development assistance contributes effectively to peace, democracy, poverty reduction and social inclusion of marginalised groups. Early priorities are likely to include support for ceasefire monitoring; voter education and other help relating to a constituent assembly; and resources to improve access by the poor to essential services and infrastructure. In addition to DFID’s bilateral programme, consideration is also being given to financial and technical support to the peace process from the interdepartmental Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP).
The EU is currently discussing what peace building support it can provide to Nepal, and the UK expects the EU to consider positively any requests by the Nepalese Government for assistance.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on progress of the analytical framework for donor assistance in Nepal. [74830]
Mr. Thomas: Multilateral and bilateral donors are considering how best to help Nepal make progress towards a lasting peace and a return to multi-party democracy. Donors are committed to close co-ordination among themselves and with the Government. This should ensure that aid funds and advice are well targeted; are provided in ways that are easy to use; avoid duplication; and do not place unnecessary demands on the new Government.
Donor assistance can help in three broad areas: direct support for the peace process (such as ceasefire monitoring); building confidence in the peace process by ensuring that poor and excluded groups see real improvements in their quality of life; and by building the capacity of state institutions to function effectively and thereby gain people’s confidence and trust.
Palestinian Territories
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received from aid agencies in the Palestinian Territories on (a) the humanitarian situation and (b) their ability to operate in the current security environment; and if he will make a statement. [73716]
Hilary Benn: DFID is in close contact with aid agencies in the Palestinian Territories, including the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), which co-ordinates monitoring and response to the humanitarian situation. The UN released an updated consolidated appeal for humanitarian assistance on 31 May 2006 and will also, from June, produce monthly humanitarian monitoring reports.
UN OCHA reports that the main restrictions on humanitarian operations are Israeli restrictions on movement and access to, and within, the West Bank and Gaza, as well as security concerns in Gaza. DFID has agreed to provide expertise that will help UN OCHA monitor the humanitarian situation and co-ordinate humanitarian access with Israeli security forces.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has received from (a) the World Bank and (b) the IMF regarding mechanisms for the delivery of funding for health and education in the Palestinian Territories; and if he will make a statement. [73717]
Hilary Benn:
DFID is in close contact with the World Bank, IMF, European Commission and international donors on mechanisms for delivering funding for Palestinian basic needs. At its meeting on 9 May the Quartet (United States, European Union
(EU), United Nations and Russia) welcomed the offer by the EU to develop and propose a mechanism for delivering direct assistance to the Palestinian people. The Quartet also invited other donors and international organisations to consider participation in such a mechanism.
Sudan
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with Jan Egalund, the UN emergency relief co-ordinator, on the impact of the security situation in Darfur on the humanitarian situation there. [74661]
Hilary Benn: I spoke to Jan Egeland recently about the situation in Darfur, and he has also briefed my officials both in Sudan and at the UN in Geneva following his most recent visit. I very much share his concern about the deteriorating security situation there, which has worsened dramatically since January, with increasing levels of banditry, armed clashes and attacks on civilians and UN and NGO staff. The rising level of insecurity threatens to reverse progress made in 2005. Over the last four months alone, 250,000 people have been driven from their homes by the violence. The ability of the UN and NGOs to access the most vulnerable people is becoming a critical issue with no or very limited access to up to 650,000 people in Darfur.
In recent weeks we have seen encouraging steps forward with the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), and the more recent announcement from the Government of Sudan agreeing a joint African Union/United Nations Technical Assessment Mission to travel to Darfur. Stabilising security in Darfur is crucial if the DPA is to succeed. A UN force would build on the achievements already made by the African Union’s Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur (AMIS).
House of Commons Commission
Department of Finance and Administration
Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) how many staff are employed in the Department of Finance and Administration; [75938]
(2) how many staff were employed in (a) the Department of Finance and Administration and (b) its predecessor Departments in each of the past 10 years for which figures are available. [75939]
Nick Harvey: The Department of Finance and Administration had the following numbers of staff as at 31 March for each of the following financial years.
| Number of staff | |
The figures up to and including 1999-2000 are the Department’s complement. Figures from 2000-01 are full-time equivalents.
Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost was of running the Department of Finance and Administration, broken down into (a) wages and associated costs, (b) accommodation and (c) other costs, in each of the last three years. [75940]
Nick Harvey: The total cash cost of running the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) over the last three financial years has been:
| £000 | |||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
The cost of accommodation is not currently held in a form attributable to an individual Department.
As DFA is the central finance department, these figures include a significant level of corporate expenditure which is not directly attributable to the direct costs of running the Department. Some of the larger corporate items during 2005-06 included pension contributions (£10,277,000), contracts management (£608,000), child care vouchers (£217,000), and special payments (£198,000). Employer-related pension costs increased by around £2,881,000 in 2005-06 following an increase in the contribution rate.
Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent audits have been undertaken into the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department of Finance and Administration; and by whom they were carried out. [75941]
Nick Harvey: The Internal Review Service (IRS) of the House of Commons carries out regular reviews of financial areas within the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) as part of its assurance to the Accounting Officer on the adequacy of internal controls. From October 2004 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have provided internal audit services in partnership with the IRS in-house team.
In 2005 there were a number of reviews of processes that are only conducted at the time of a general election.
A list of recent audits and reviews covering the responsibilities of the Department of Finance and Administration is set out as follows:
| Carried out by | |
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