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19 Apr 2007 : Column 759Wcontinued
As announced in the 2007 Budget Statement, a new £800 million Environmental Transformation Fund will finance overseas development projects that deliver both
poverty reduction and environmental benefits in developing countries, and help developing countries respond to climate change. This fund will support climate change adaptation, provide access to clean energy and help tackle unsustainable deforestation.
DFID is funding international networks such as the Global Village Energy Partnership (GVEP) and the EU energy initiative (EUEI) to promote access to affordable energy services, drawing on the full menu of technology options, including renewable energy.
DFID has supported the creation of a new €220 million EU energy facility, which will start funding projects this year. This fund aims to improve access to energy, especially in Africa, and encouraged viable renewable energy proposals.
DFID is also increasing research funding for the energy sector to reflect the growing interest in clean energy for development. This year DFID launched a new five year, £3.75 million energy research programme on renewable energy and is currently scoping areas for further work.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his estimate is of the number of people who have returned to live in the South of Sudan following the end of conflict there. [132505]
Hilary Benn: The UN estimates that since the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) in January 2005, around 1 million people have returned to their homes in the South. UNHCR predicts a further 100,000 refugees will return home in 2007, in addition to 500,000 internally displaced people. The majority of the refugees will come from Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya.
DFID has channelled all its funding for the returns process through the UN-administered common humanitarian fund (CHF). Of the £68 million allocated so far by the CHF in 2007 (of which the DFID contribution makes up 60 per cent.), £6.6 million was given to support the returns process.
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures the Government plan to provide to improve the security of staff in casualty departments in Northern Ireland hospitals, with particular reference to the Downe hospital, Downpatrick. [132097]
Paul Goggins: My Department is fully committed to improving health and safety protection for all health and social care staff and has taken extensive measures to minimise risk in the workplace.
Following consultation with staff in the Downe hospital the trust introduced additional security measures from March 2007. These include security patrols within accident and emergency unit from 9 pm
until midnight on Monday to Thursday and every week-end from 12 midnight to 3 am. Security staff patrols operate within both the Downshire and Downe hospital sites.
Mrs. Iris Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding he plans to
provide for the arts in the Province in 2007-08; and how much funding was provided in each of the last five years. [130700]
Maria Eagle: Total funding provided for the arts in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years along with planned expenditure for 2007-08 is shown in the following table:
£ | ||||||
2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08( 1) | |
(1) Planned expenditure. (2) Provisional. (3) These figures relate to the calendar years 2006 and 2007. The Department for Social Development has also provided funding under Peace II for various other arts-based projects amounting to £565,600 for the period 2002 to date. This amount is not included in the table. |
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average daily passenger numbers were for each bus route to and from Carrickfergus in each month over the last three years. [131983]
David Cairns: Data are not readily available by individual bus routes from Translink. The following tables set out the daily average passenger numbers based on monthly patronage figures for those travelling to (alighting) and from (boarding) Carrickfergus in each of the last two years. Figures have not been provided in respect of 2004-05 as I am informed by Translink that data held for that year are incomplete.
2005-06 | ||||
Boarding | Alighting | Monthly total | Daily average | |
2006-07 | ||||
Boarding | Alighting | Monthly total | Daily average | |
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