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14 Jan 2008 : Column 1071W—continued
International Development
Africa: Overseas Aid
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what funding his Department has allocated to support food aid programmes in developing African countries in the last five years. [176633]
(2) what funding his Department has allocated to provide safe, clean drinking water in developing African countries in the last five years; [176634]
(3) what funding his Department has allocated to support skills training in developing African countries in the last five years; [176635]
(4) what funding his Department has allocated to support AIDS and HIV education and prevention programmes in developing African countries in the last five years; [176636]
(5) what funding his Department has allocated to support health improvement programmes in developing African countries in the last five years; [176637]
(6) what funding his Department has allocated to support education programmes in developing African countries in the last five years; [176638]
(7) what funding his Department has allocated to support the development of agriculture in developing African countries in the last five years. [176639]
Mr. Thomas: Details on the amount of DFID's bilateral expenditure in Africa spent directly in each sector over the last five years are shown in the following table. The data are not mutually exclusive.
| Table 1: DFID bilateral expenditure in Africa, by sector, 2002-03 to 2006-07 | |||||
| £ millions | |||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
These data do not include funding in Africa delivered through DFID's multilateral assistance.
African Caribbean and Pacific Countries: EC External Trade
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department's website will be updated in relation to the conclusion of economic partnership agreements by the 31 December 2007 deadline. [177798]
[Official Report, 16 January 2008, Vol. 470, c. 12MC.]Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development's website pages on Economic Partnership Agreements were updated on 10 December 2007 and again on 14 January 2008.
Departmental Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for West Worcestershire's letter, dated 22 November 2007, on the Kenyan government. [179003]
Mr. Malik: The reply to the hon. Member for West Worcestershire's letter of 22 November 2007 has been issued.
Departmental Cost Effectiveness
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efficiency savings projects his Department put in place under the Spending Review 2004 targets; on what date each was initiated; how much each was expected to contribute to the target; how much was saved by each; and if he will make a statement. [164153]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The answers to the following parts of the above question are contained in the reply given to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) on 30 October 2007, Official Report, column 1062W:
(i) the efficiency savings projects DFID put in place under the Spending Review 2004 targets;
(ii) the date each was initiated; and
(iii) how much each was expected to contribute to the target.
The savings generated by each component of the target are as follows:
The administrative cost category includes targets to reduce UK-based full-time staff to 1,610 by March 2008 (from 1,907 in March 2004) and a target to relocate 85 posts from the London office to East Kilbride. We have already exceeded our relocation target and by the second quarter of 2007-08 we had reduced our headcount by 232 UK-based full-time equivalent posts (our target by end March 2008 is 297).
On the basis of efficiencies realised by the end of 2006-07 and the current rate of progress in 2007-08 we are on course to exceed our efficiency target of £420 million of sustainable efficiencies by the end of 2007-08. A further update on progress in 2007-08 will be provided in the forthcoming Autumn Performance Report.
Departmental Recycling
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recycling schemes are in operation in each building operated by his Department. [176349]
Mr. Malik:
The Department for International Development has recycling schemes in place at both UK offices. All paper, aluminium cans, paper cups and cardboard are segregated in house and transported to the waste depot where the contractor further separates
the mixed general waste. IT equipment and furniture is given to charitable organisations.
During 2004-05 DFID changed waste contractors at both buildings. The new waste contractors guarantee they will recycle at least 75 per cent. of all our waste and they provide monthly environmental reports with detailed breakdowns of the various waste streams. Hazardous waste such as fluorescent tubes is stored securely and uplifted by specialist waste contractors.
Developing Countries: Health
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department will respond to Lord Crisp's Report of February 2007; and if he will make a statement. [176651]
Mr. Malik: We have worked closely with other Government Departments, in particular with the Department of Health, and with civil society and professional groups to consider the recommendations of Lord Crisp's report. The Government's response to Lord Crisp's report will be issued shortly by the Inter-Ministerial Group. The response will provide a basis for taking forward those areas of work likely to be most useful in making a sustained difference to helping meet the health needs of developing countries.
Developing Countries: Overseas Aid
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of his Department's budget was spent on budget support for developing countries through (a) bilateral, (b) multilateral, (c) trust fund and (d) other arrangements in each of the last five years. [176900]
Mr. Thomas: The following table shows what percentage of DFID bilateral poverty reduction budget support (PRBS) was delivered directly to partner governments and through trust funds over the last five years, and what proportion of DFID's total programme this represents.
| Table 1: Proportion of DFID's total programme delivered as bilateral PRBS, 2002-03 to 2006-07 | |||
| Percentage | |||
| Total DFID bilateral PRBS | Total delivered direct to partner governments | Total delivered through trust funds | |
While some multilateral organisations report the proportion of their programmes delivered as general budget support, they do not report the proportion delivered as sector budget support. As such, an imputed multilateral share for PRBS cannot be calculated.
Disasters Emergency Committee: Agriculture
Mr. Gale:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will hold discussions with the Disasters Emergency Committee on widening
its membership to include representatives of those working with livestock and animal welfare in emergencies in developing countries; and if he will make a statement. [177444]
Mr. Malik: Membership of the Disasters Emergency Committee, which is independent of Government, is a matter for the Committee. Its purpose is to provide humanitarian relief in overseas disasters. This can and does include help with livestock for the purpose of protecting human life, welfare and livelihoods.
Economic Partnership Agreements
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the timescale is for upgrading interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) to full EPAs. [177582]
Mr. Thomas: Of the six interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA); four include commitments to conclude a full EPA by 31 December 2008, these are the East African Community, the Pacific, West Africa and Central Africa. The East and Southern Africa EPA aims to conclude a full EPA by 31 July 2009 and the Southern African EPA includes commitments to complete negotiations on services and investment by 31 December 2008 but will only continue negotiations on competition and public procurement when adequate capacity has been built in the region.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of the countries which have signed an interim economic partnership agreement have expressed an interest in including the Singapore terms in any future agreement. [177668]
Mr. Thomas: All of the current Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signatory countries have agreed to work towards concluding a comprehensive EPA including trade related areas to which the Singapore issues belong. The Caribbean EPA already includes provisions on investment, competition, public procurement and trade facilitation. The Southern Africa, West Africa, Central Africa and Pacific EPAs all include immediate provisions on trade facilitation. The remaining Singapore issues are covered by commitments to negotiate in the future by all parties.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what safeguard clauses exist to protect African, Caribbean and Pacific producers from import surges in those countries who have concluded an Economic Partnership Agreement. [177583]
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