| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Departmental Premises (Security)
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are in place to ensure that no illegal immigrants are employed in the manned guarding of his Department's premises. [80804]
Mr. Thomas: Guards at DFID offices are currently a combination of in-house and contracted staff. For all in-house permanent and pensionable staff, a range of nationality and identity checks are carried out at the time of recruitment, which ensure that the individual has the right of employment in the UK. Contractors are responsible for ensuring that similar checks are carried out on any staff whom they employ at any DFID offices.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has (a) directly and (b) indirectly employed illegal immigrants as security guards. [80813]
Mr. Thomas: DFID has not, as far as we are aware, employed either directly or indirectly illegal immigrants as security guards.
Departmental Travel Costs
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff of his Department have travelled other than in economy class on flights between Heathrow and Glasgow in each of the last 12 months. [82808]
Mr. Thomas: A total of 406 DFID staff made 949 non-economy class flights during 2005. The breakdown of flights by month were as follows:
| Number | |
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the most expensive flight within the UK is which his Department has booked for departmental staff in each of the last 12 months. [82809]
Mr. Thomas: The most expensive flights in 2005 were:
| £ | |
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many official journeys between London and Glasgow have been made by staff of his Department in the last 12 months. [82810]
Mr. Thomas: 1,201 journeys were completed in 2005.
Infrastructure Building (Afghanistan/Iraq)
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress his Department has made in building economic infrastructure in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq. [83240]
Hilary Benn: Improving economic management and aid effectiveness is one of DFID's three objectives for its £102 million (2006-07) aid programme to Afghanistan. DFID is working with the Government to help improve revenue collection and financial planning, and works particularly closely with the Ministry of Finance. We are supporting them in customs and reform, which will help them to raise money from imports and exports and wealthier Afghan business and individuals, thus reducing their dependence on foreign aid. This is going well with revenues increasing by 30-40 per cent. per annum. We have also helped them improve the national budget process, with good results. The 2006-07 budget was recently approved by Parliament and further endorsed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with the launch of a Poverty Reduction and Growth Programme.
DFID
also works to build state institutions and improve the livelihoods of
rural people, supporting the Afghan Government's own objectives, as set
out in their Interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy.
Although the rebuilding of Afghanistan cannot be achieved without
significant investments in infrastructure, we do not focus on this
area. Given the scale of resources required, and the importance of
donors working to their respective comparative advantages, we believe
other donors are better placed to make these investments—in
particular the USA, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan, all of
whom are investing in Afghanistan's infrastructure sector. Part of
DFID's livelihoods work does include support for small scale rural
infrastructure through funding to National Programmes. Through the
National Rural Access Programme for example, around 6,000 km of rural
roads have been rehabilitated and/or constructed since
2002.
Over 70 per cent. of our aid goes directly to the Government of Afghanistan. The UK is the largest donor to the Government's recurrent budget—covering annual costs such as salaries for teachers and health workers. This is exactly what the Afghan Government wants—and is the best chance for building effective state institutions that will last.
In Iraq, DFID has committed over £417 million to specific projects since March 2003, of which over £353 million has now been disbursed. This includes a £70 million contribution in 2004 to the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI)—trust funds run by the UN and the World Bank; and 19 per cent. of EC contributions to Iraq (£67 million).
DFID has been supporting economic reform in Iraq since 2004 and has committed £13 million to support the Iraqi Ministry of Finance to lead and manage a programme of macro-economic and budget reform. Activities include help with 2007 budget preparation, policy advice on public expenditure and in particular subsidy reform, and keeping the IMF's Standby Arrangement on track. DFID also plans to provide two additional consultants to the Government of Iraq to work on structural economic reform (e.g. oil sector restructuring and financial market reforms).
Since March 2003 DFID has spent £78 million on physical infrastructure improvements in southern Iraq, to improve delivery of power and water services essential to further economic growth. These include:
repairs to power stations in the south which have added and secured enough power in total to supply over 50,000 homes, and improved electricity supplies to 1.5 million residents;
work to provide 10 small generators adding a further 15MW to the national grid;
construction of a water training centre for use by the southern Governorates
replacement of 800 km of water mains, as well as repair of 5,047 leaks across the four southern Governorates;
construction of almost 10 km of piped main drainage plus mains connections to 830 houses;
supply of technical advice for a major sewage installation in Al Amarah, providing up to half the city's population with access to a piped system and replacing open sewage channels; and
installation of new sewage treatment facilities at Mina Prison, Basra;
We have also committed a further £18 million to improve power and water infrastructure in the south includes building a new gas pumping station; essential repairs at power stations; building three new water towers; and two further water projects which will provide drinking water for 500,000 people.
Kosovo (Munitions Clearance)
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Kosovo Protection Corps clearance of UK cluster munitions in Kosovo; and when the clearance is expected to be completed. [83473]
Mr. Ingram: I have been asked to reply
The Kosovo Protection Corps has been trained to UN benchmarks in the clearance of a broad variety of mines, unexploded ordnance and cluster munitions by Handicap International. Alongside non-governmental organisations engaged in explosive ordnance disposal, they have cleared a significant number of designated dangerous areas in Kosovo in 2006 alone. It is anticipated that in 2007 the clearance of dangerous areas will have been completed. A recent report made by the United Nations Mine Action Service stated that the Kosovo Protection Corps explosive ordnance disposal teams will be capable of addressing the residual land mine and unexploded ordnance threat in Kosovo from 2007 and beyond.
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many proposals the Department has received to fund clearance of unexploded UK cluster munitions in the last two years; how many related to Kosovo; and how many have been funded in each case. [83474]
Hilary Benn: DFID has received two funding applications related to unexploded UK cluster munitions. Both were for Kosovo.
DFID has not funded either of these.
DFID has spent £15 million on humanitarian landmine clearance and related work in Kosovo, including approximately £3.3 million through the Halo Trust for its work there during 1999-2001. Since 2001, we have judged, in consultation with the United Nations Mine Action Service and our own specialist adviser, that the overall threat from unexploded ordnance in Kosovo has been reduced considerably and that the capacity of the Kosovan de-mining authorities has grown sufficiently to deal with it.
DFID directs its mines action funds to worse affected, less well resourced countries, including funding the Halo Trust in, for example, Sri Lanka, Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Somaliland and Sudan.
Overseas Projects
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in what projects the UK is involved in (a) the Palestinian Territories, (b) Iraq and (c) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [82984]
Hilary Benn: In the Palestinian Territories, DFID support has focused on three areas: supporting the peace process, improving the delivery of humanitarian and development assistance, and helping the institutions of a future Palestinian state to be more effective, accountable and inclusive. DFID has spent £176 million on its Palestinian programme since 2001, plus our share of European Community aid. DFID projects and programmes are as follows:
Support for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency;
Assistance to the Negotiations Affairs Department to support progress towards a negotiated, two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
Building the capacity of the Palestinian Authority (currently suspended) and civil society organisations on governance and public administration reform;
Improved analysis of PA institutional development;
A fund to assist DFID to finance strategic interventions to support a peace process and economic development.
Until the Hamas Government agrees to the conditions set out by the Quartet, UK Government aid will be channelled outside the Palestinian Authority. We expect to contribute through a new temporary international mechanism to provide support for Palestinian basic needs.
The UK also provides funding through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP), which is managed jointly by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), DFID and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Current projects in the Palestinian Territories:
Military liaison officer for the Palestinians;
Training needs analysis for national security forces (currently suspended);
Military advisor to the special envoy for disengagement (currently suspended);
Close protection support for President of the Palestinian Authority;
Appointment of a Financial Liaison Officer to the Palestinian Authority (currently suspended); and
Water pollution management in Israel, Jordan and Palestinian Authority.
The GCPP also funds a number of relevant projects with Israeli non-governmental organisations. These organisations are:
Peace Now - Settlement Watch;
Ir Amin - advocacy project on status of Jerusalem;
Economic Co-operation Foundation - Gaza disengagement;
Council for Peace and Security - advocacy work on Israeli separation;
HaMoKed/BTselem - Freedom of movement for Palestinians;
Palestinian media activities in support of the Roadmap (jointly funded with USAID); and
Ah Hoc Liason Committee - donor co-ordination.
In Iraq, the UK Government have pledged a total of £544 million for reconstruction from 2003 until 2006 (including contributions from DFID, the FCO and the MOD, the GCPP, and the UK's share of EC funding in Iraq). The UK has disbursed over £533 million.
DFID's programme for 2006-07 in Iraq focuses on four key areas of economic reform; infrastructure improvements; governance and institution building; and support for civil society and political participation. This is through the projects listed, through our work as a major contributor to the United Nations and World Bank Trust Funds for Iraq, and by helping other donors to establish programmes in Iraq. DFID is currently funding the following projects:
Iraq Infrastructure Services Project to deliver improved power and water services in southern Iraq;
Operation Ampere providing 10 generators for southern governorates;
Governorates capacity
building programme (GCBP) supporting the southern provinces in planning
and budgeting skills. In Basra, the UK-led provincial reconstruction
team (PRT) is developing an integrated approach to governance, rule of
law, economic development and infrastructure. The PRT draws together
existing GCBP funding with US funding on governance (plus further
programme funding from the US
of $15 million from October 2006), US military funding and Danish funds
on agriculture and
irrigation;
Support to the centre of Government. This programme is building communications, management and core civil service expertise in the Prime Minister's office, Council of Ministers' Secretariat and Government Communications Directorate;
Supporting Economic Reform, helping the Ministry of Finance to lead and manage a programme of macro-economic and budget reform in Iraq;
BBC World Service Trust Project, strengthening independent broadcasting in the south;
Political Participation Fund. This project seeks to encourage broad participation in national and local elections and the constitutional debate; and
Civil Society Fund. We provide funding to UK non-governmental organisations who forge mentoring partnerships with Iraqi civil society organisations to build their capacity.
In 2006-07 the global conflict prevention pool is undertaking the following projects in Iraq:
Police training and mentoring;
Prisons mentoring and support;
Ministry of Interior support to improve accountability and reduce scope for abuses and corruption;
Provision of a justice adviser.
The FCO has also allocated £100,000 for human rights support projects in Iraq.
In Afghanistan, DFID's aid programme (£102 million in 2006-7) supports three of the Afghan Government's own objectives, as set out in their Interim Afghanistan 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 people. Current projects are in the following list.
Afghanistan Stabilisation Programme;
Technical Assistance to Ministry of Counter Narcotics /Ministry of Interior to strengthen Counter-Narcotics Institutions;
Support to Provincial Stabilisation;
Technical Assistance to the Civil Service Commission for Public Administration Reform;
Technical Assistance to the Office of the President's Spokesman;
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit: Drivers of Change research;
Support to British Agencies in Afghanistan Group; and
Support to Centre of Government Institutions.
Economic Management/Aid Effectiveness
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund;
Counter Narcotics Trust Fund;
Technical Assistance to Ministry of Finance on Tax Administration;
Technical Assistance for Customs and the Cabinet Secretariat;
Technical Assistance to Ministry of Finance on Budget Formulation;
Technical Assistance to Ministry of Commerce on Private Sector Development;
Technical Assistance to Ministry of Mines and Industry; and
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.
National Solidarity Programme (Government Programme);
Micro-finance Investment Support Facility in Afghanistan (Government Programme);
Eastern Hazarajat Alternative Livelihoods Project (UN FAO);
Alternative Agricultural Livelihoods Programme (UN FAO);
Badakhshan - Aga Khan Development Network AL programme;
Research into Alternative Livelihoods Fund; and
Agricultural Input Supply Programme
Technical assistance to Ministry reconstruction and rural development and Ministry of Agriculture and animal husbandry on sustainable livelihoods.
Over 70 per cent. of our aid goes directly to the Government of Afghanistan. The UK is the largest donor to the Government's recurrent budget—covering annual costs such as salaries for teachers and health workers. This is exactly what the Afghan Government wants—and is the best chance for building effective state institutions that will last.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |