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27 Jun 2006 : Column 266W—continued
International Development
Afghanistan
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has given to the Afghan Government to provide basic services to the population throughout the country; and if he will make a statement. [80344]
Hilary Benn: DFID's aid programme to Afghanistan (£102 million in 2006-07) supports three of the Afghan Government's own objectives, as set out in their Interim National Development Strategy: (i) Building effective state institutions; (ii) improving economic management and the effectiveness of aid to Afghanistan; and (iii) improving the livelihoods of rural poor. These are the key steps needed in Afghanistan to generate a self-sustaining state with the capacity to meet basic social needs and start the process of reducing poverty.
The UK is currently the largest donor to the Government's recurrent budget through allocations to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund. This covers recurrent costs such as salaries for teachers and health workers. This is the support the Afghan Government wants, and is the best chance for building effective state institutions that will last and are able to deliver basic services across the country.
The UK also supports a number of key Government of Afghanistan National Programmes, which focus on improving the livelihoods of the rural poor. The National Solidarity Programme (NSP) for example, helps local communities to identify their own needs and provides the means to meet them. Often this includes the provision of basic service infrastructure such as schools and health centres.
DFID also provides 19 per cent. of the EC's commitment to Afghanistan of 1 billion euros (2002-06) and over 10 per cent. of the World Banks Commitment of $250-300 million a year. DFID also contributes to UN agencies. These partners are all actively engaged in the delivery of basic services across the country.
Bali Peace Agreement
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid the UK Government plan to provide to the (a) East Timorese and (b) Indonesians following the Bali peace agreement. [79430]
Hilary Benn:
DFID will provide £6 million to East Timor between 2006 and 2009. The bulk of this sum will be spent implementing the National Development
Plan which focuses upon poverty reduction and providing better services to poor communities. We are also considering a substantial contribution to help strengthen financial management within Government.
In response to the recent unrest we have provided £110,000 to help alleviate the poor conditions within the refugee camps, which were set up following the recent disturbances in the country. DFID continues to monitor developments there closely and we stand ready to consider further support. We are particularly interested in programmes which promote longer-term peace and stability by addressing the causes of tension and by strengthening dispute resolution processes.
DFID’s programme to Indonesia for this year will total £41.5 million. Of this sum, £18.5 million will finance tsunami reconstruction work in Aceh, and a further £3 million has been made available for the relief effort following the earthquake in Jogjakarta last month.
In Indonesia DFID, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have developed a joint strategy under the Global Conflict Prevention (GCPP) to help establish the conditions in which causes of inter-communal violent conflict can be addressed and a reduction in conflict secured. As part of this strategy, DFID has provided £4.2 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit (CPRU).
Burma
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) when the policy review of providing aid to internally displaced people in Burma is expected to be completed; [79248]
(2) what studies he has evaluated on the accountability and effectiveness of cross-border aid to internally displaced people in Burma. [79247]
Mr. Thomas: DFID intends to carry out the review of its support to internally displaced people in Burma and refugees on the Thai-Burma border before the end of 2006.
The most recent review of DFID’s role on the Thai-Burma border was carried out in June 2004. I have arranged for copies of the document entitled ‘Executive Summary to review of DFID’s work on the Thai-Burma Border’ to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Gaza
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what response the UK has made to the recent UN appeal for £205 million for humanitarian aid in Gaza. [80404]
Hilary Benn: DFID continues to work with both the UN and the European Commission to ensure the most effective and co-ordinated international response to the worsening humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. It is our assessment that the most effective way to address this will be through the Temporary International Mechanism.
Indonesian Earthquake (Aid)
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) his Department and (b) the EU has pledged to the emergency response to the Indonesian earthquake; and if he will make a statement. [79907]
Hilary Benn: DFID has pledged £5 million towards the relief effort, including £1 million to the International Federation of the Red Cross, £3 million to the United Nations (UN) agencies and £1 million to non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The £1 million to UK NGOs is made up of £400,000 to Oxfam, £400,000 to Save the Children Fund and £200,000 to Handicap International. DFID’s contributions will be used for shelter, health, water and sanitation, emergency packs of essential items for affected families, and livelihoods.
The European Commission (EC) has pledged €3 million to the emergency response. Approximately 17-17.5 per cent. is attributed to the UK which roughly equates to €518,000. The total pledged to date by the European Union member states including the EC is €20.79 million.
Natural Disaster Facility
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the UK’s contribution to the ACP-EU Natural Disaster Facility was in 2005-06; what it is planned to be in each of the next three financial years; and if he will make a statement. [79277]
Hilary Benn: The Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)—European Community (EC) Council of Ministers meeting in Luxembourg on 24-25 June 2005, agreed to establish a Natural Disaster Facility to support regional initiatives in disaster reduction, mitigation and preparedness in the ACP countries. An initial sum of €12 million (approximately £8 million) was allocated from the 9(th) European development fund (EDF) to support programmes in the period up to the end of December 2007. The UK share of this assistance is 12.7 per cent. (approximately €1.5 million or £1 million). Further support is envisaged under the 10(th) EDF, which will be committed over the period 2008-13. The UK’s share of the 10(th) EDF will be 14.82 per cent.
Occupied Territories
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the temporary international finance mechanism to deliver aid to the Occupied Territories is expected to become operational. [80411]
Hilary Benn: On 16 June, the European Council issued a declaration finalising the details of a temporary international mechanism to help support Palestinians' basic needs. The European Commission is urgently taking this forward and expects payments to front-line health workers to begin by mid-July. The World Bank, which will ultimately assume management of the mechanism, expects its operation to be ready in August.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the criteria will be for the three-month review of the temporary international finance mechanism to deliver aid to the Occupied Territories; and if he will make a statement. [80413]
Hilary Benn: The criteria for reviewing the temporary international mechanism are yet to be agreed. Responsibility for this lies with the Consultative Group of organisations and countries who are overseeing the management of the mechanism.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in what proportion the temporary international finance mechanism to deliver aid to the Occupied Territories will support (a) essential supplies, (b) social services, (c) health, (d) education and (e) utilities. [80414]
Hilary Benn: It has not yet been decided how donor contributions will be divided between the three main channels of support: for the health sector; support for the uninterrupted supply of utilities; and basic needs allowances to meet the essential needs of the poorest segments of the population. The European Commission and the World Bank are urgently undertaking preliminary design work on the temporary international mechanism that will enable donors to determine how their contributions will be used.
The European Commission will contribute €104 million to the mechanism and has invited European Union member states to announce their contributions shortly. We encourage other donors to contribute. The UK will make a contribution of up to £12 million.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) which states and organisations will contribute to the temporary international finance mechanism to deliver aid to the Occupied Territories; [80415]
(2) what funds (a) the UK, (b) other European member states and (c) other members of the Quartet will provide to the temporary international finance mechanism to deliver aid to the Occupied Territories. [80412]
Hilary Benn: The mechanism is open to any donor that wishes to contribute. We are expecting individual European Union member states to release statements regarding their contributions shortly. The UK encourages other donors to contribute.
The European Commission's financing plan for the mechanism is in the order of €104 million. The UK Government will contribute up to £12 million to be disbursed once the mechanism is fully operational.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of (a) the humanitarian situation, (b) access to essential services and (c) rates of poverty and extreme poverty in (i) the West Bank and (ii) Gaza. [80416]
Hilary Benn:
DFID is keeping close track of the humanitarian situation in the West Bank and Gaza through the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). With assistance from DFID, the UN OCHA has produced the first Monthly Humanitarian Monitor. The main messages from this report are that poverty is rising, particularly
among families which depended on salaries or cash payments from the Palestinian Authority and there are emerging problems in the health sector with a number of essential drugs now out of stock. The full report is available online at:
http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/opt/docs/UN/OCHA/UN_HumanitarianMonitor_May06.pdf
Home Department
Antisocial Behaviour
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider ways to improve the opportunities for the public to raise their concern about antisocial behaviour with (a) local authorities and (b) police authorities. [80049]
Mr. McNulty: To tackle antisocial behaviour effectively, local agencies like local authorities and police authorities need to listen to and act upon community concerns and priorities, reporting back on what has been done.
The Police and Justice Bill contains provisions for the “Community Call for Action” which will enable local residents to trigger action where community safety partners have failed to address a persistent local problem. The Bill places a duty on a local councillor to respond to a call for action. Where the issue cannot be resolved by informal means, the councillor would be able to refer the matter to the local authority overview and scrutiny committee for consideration. The Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) or Community Safety Partnership (CSP) in Wales on which both local authorities and police authorities are partners would have to respond to any report of the scrutiny committee, and to explain any decision not to take action. Under the terms of the Police and Justice Bill, the commencement of the relevant provisions in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.
“Face the People” sessions will also be delivered through the provisions in the Police and Justice Bill and will require senior representatives of the CDRP or CSP to hold regular question and answer sessions open to the public and the media. These sessions will provide the opportunity for local communities to raise issues of concern and ask questions regarding the CDRP's or CSP's work. The requirement would be introduced by regulations arising from an order made jointly by the Home Secretary and the National Assembly for Wales.
Bail Hostels
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he used for establishing which bail hostels are near schools and should not be used for sex offenders. [80405]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Accommodating certain offenders on licence in approved premises, formerly probation and bail hostels, is an important public protection measure. In approved premises, offenders may be closely supervised and monitored, to ensure compliance with their licence conditions.
There has been concern about the housing of child sex offenders in approved premises adjacent to schools and nurseries. In order to maintain public confidence in our systems for managing the risks posed by such offenders, I took the decision that child sex offenders should no longer be housed in approved premises that are immediately adjacent to schools and nurseries.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of residents at the bail hostel in Wesleyan road, Peterborough are sex offenders. [78920]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The number of sex offenders accommodated in any approved premises, formerly bail and probation hostels, will vary at any one time. Statistical information about the type of offences committed by offenders residing at an approved premises at any one time is not collected centrally.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former prisoners were resident at the bail hostel in Wesleyan road, Peterborough on (a) 31 December 2004, (b) 31 December 2005 and (c) 31 May 2006. [78921]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The number of residents on post release licences from custody at the Peterborough approved premises was as follows:
| Number | ||
| Note: Latest date available was 28 February. | ||
Fingerprint Centres
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment was made of the pilot project for fingerprint centres for recovered stolen (a) cars and (b) other moveable property; and what conclusions were reached. [79565]
Mr. McNulty: The Metropolitan Police Service utilised one of the fingerprint development laboratories funded by the Home Office’s Police Standards Unit. The part they played regarding recovered stolen vehicles was internally assessed by the force and the findings presented to the Police Standards Unit, the Government Office of London (the co-sponsor) and finally to the House of Lords European Secure Vehicle Alliance Parliamentary Group at a plenary session on the 5 November 2003 and a general meeting on 10 September 2003. The laboratories themselves are deemed particularly successful at reducing the time from crime to analysis, and we were informed the force intended extending this approach across more of the force area.
Illegal Immigration
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants are living in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [74687]
Mr. Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the Home Affairs Committee by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 23 May 2006. No UK Government has been able to answer with accuracy because (a) successive Governments inherit an unknown number from its predecessor and (b) no complete records exist of the number of people who leave the country.
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