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12 Jun 2006 : Column 951W—continued
The situation has worsened for much of the population since 1990—as a result of civil war, large scale population displacement and the weakness of the state. It has been estimated that an additional 3.5 million people have died as a result of the war, either as direct victims of the conflict or from associated increased levels of disease and malnutrition.
DFID’s engagement in the DRC has increased rapidly over recent years in recognition of the enormous humanitarian and development needs in the country. Having spent £5.6 million in 2001-02, we have £62 million available this financial year. Our current transition programme follows the following themes:
1. Security and the Rule of Law
Support for the disarmament, demobilisation and re-integration of ex-combatants through the Multi-Country Demobilisation and Re-integration Programme (MDRP), support to army integration, reform of the police and justice sector, and local level peacebuilding and dialogue initiatives through non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
This includes support for the transition institutions (such as the Parliament, Electoral Commission and High Media Authority), the establishment of a professional and impartial media sector, and preparation for elections. The UK is the largest bilateral donor to the electoral process in the DRC.
Support for infrastructure within the Government’s reconstruction plan, especially transport links; the development of a poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP); support to the social sectors (health, education and water) largely through NGOs; and the fight against HIV/AIDS through the Joint United Nations Programme for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and NGOs.
4. Natural Resources and Enhanced Revenue Generation
We have funded research by Global Witness into the current state of natural resources management in the DRC. We are supporting the implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in the DRC and developing our plans for further support for effective and transparent natural resource extraction and the re-establishment of border control systems.
Around half of our programme is spent on humanitarian interventions either through UN agencies or NGOs, to address the complex and chronic humanitarian emergency that has faced the people of the DRC since the war. Our funding is principally channelled to the UN’s Action Plan for the DRC through its pooled donor funding mechanism.
Departmental Expenditure
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the 10 non-public sector entities that have received the largest total sum of payments from his Department in each of the last five years. [71770]
Mr. Thomas:
Tables below detail the 10 non-public sector entities that have received the largest total sum
of payments from the Department for International Development (DFID) in each of the last five years. The figures do not include grants to NGO's.
| Table 1: 2005-06 | £000 |
|
The Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations Ltd | |
| Table 2: 2004-05 | £000 |
|
The Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations Ltd | |
| Table 3: 2003-04 | £000 |
| Table 4: 2002-03 | £000 |
| Table 5: 2001-02 | £000 |
|
The Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations Limited | |
Departmental Staff
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department did not achieve an acceptable mark in their annual report in each of the last three years; and what percentage this represented of the total number of staff in each case. [75097]
Mr. Thomas: DFID does not yet have individual staff performance ratings for 2005, as a new process and reporting year has recently been implemented. DFID figures for the three years prior to 2005 were as follows:
| Unsatisfactory performance | Percentage of total staff | |
Ethiopia/Eritrea
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his assessment is of the effectiveness of financial support given by his Department to Ethiopia. [75328]
Hilary Benn: The financial support given by the UK to Ethiopia is being used effectively to reduce poverty. Since 2000 we have seen real signs of progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.
There has been a significant improvement in access to education. The primary school enrolment rate has risen from 37 per cent. to 74 per cent. of school age children and the adult literacy rate has increased from 26 per cent. of the population aged 15 and above, to 38 per cent. between 2000 and 2004.
Health indicators are also improving. The percentage of children under five who are underweight fell from 47 per cent. to 38 per cent. between 2000 and 2005. The infant mortality rate fell from 95 to 77 per 1,000 live births and the under five mortality rate fell from 141 to 123 per 1,000 over the same period. Childhood immunisation rates have also improved. For example, between 1996 and 2004 the proportion of children immunised against measles increased from
39 per cent. to 59 per cent. The proportion of the population with access to safe water increased from 19 per cent. in 2000 to 36 per cent. in 2004.
The Productive Safety Nets Programme delivered cash and/or food to approximately 4.9 million targeted beneficiaries last year, and represents a major step in improving the livelihoods of the poorest people.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department takes into account the amount spent by the Ethiopian Government on arms when deciding levels of aid given to Ethiopia. [75347]
Hilary Benn: Decisions on DFID's aid allocations to Ethiopia take account of the level of poverty in the country, the likely effectiveness of aid in reducing poverty, and the amount of aid which Ethiopia receives from other donors.
The Ethiopian Government have reduced the proportion of their budget spent on defence from 10.4 per cent. in 1999-2000 to 2.9 per cent. in 2005-06. The Government have maintained their defence budget in constant cash terms in spite of rising aid flows.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what UK bilateral aid to (a) Ethiopia and (b) Eritrea has been in each of the last three years; and what the planned figure is for the next three years. [74601]
Hilary Benn: UK bilateral aid to Ethiopia, excluding debt relief, was £43,308,019 in 2003-04. In 2004-05 it was £62,363,567. Final figures for 2005-06 are not yet available but are expected to be of the same order as the 2004-05 figure. In addition, DFID funding via the EC is estimated at £10.3 million and £11.3 million for 2003 and 2004 respectively, the latest years for which there are published figures. The planned figure for 2006-07 is £90 million and for 2007-08 is £130 million. I have just announced a new £94 million Protection of Basic Services grant over the next two years for financing local services such as village clinics, primary schools and water points. The World Bank is also contributing $215 million (£118 million).
UK bilateral aid to Eritrea, excluding debt relief, was £2,368,613 in 2003-04. In 2004-05 it was £1,310,157. Final figures for 2005-06 are not yet available but are expected to be about double the 2004-05 figure. In addition, DFID funding via the EC is estimated at £1.7 million and £1.1 million for 2003 and 2004 respectively, the latest years for which there are published figures. The planned figure for 2006-07 is £3.8 million and for 2007-08 it is £4.8 million.
Budget figures beyond financial year 2007-08 are not yet available.
HIV/AIDS
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department is committing to the G8 summit goals relating to the provision of treatment for HIV/AIDS. [75675]
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