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29 Feb 2008 : Column 2025W—continued
Special Adviser Legal Expenses
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2007, Official Report, columns 911-2W and the letter of 18 December 2007 from the Cabinet Secretary to the Chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee, what contribution the Labour Party made towards legal expenses incurred in relation to special advisers. [180310]
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2008, Official Report, columns 755-6W, on honours: criminal investigation, and with reference to the letter of 18 December 2007 from the Cabinet Secretary to the Chairman of the Public Administration Committee, what the financial contribution was from the Labour Party to the costs of external legal advice for special advisers. [181338]
Edward Miliband: The Labour Party contribution towards the cost of legal expenses incurred by Government in relation to special advisers is £85,380.89.
International Development
Actis
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the Government calculated the value of the 60 per cent. stake in Actis prior to its sale in 2004; and if he will make a statement. [189574]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: DFID and an Independent Committee of the CDC Board commissioned KPMG, Corporate Finance Consultants, to undertake an objective valuation of the whole business and then to advise on the appropriate value of the 60 per cent. ownership interest. The valuation methodology was comprehensive and based on standard practice.
The valuation advice was reviewed and accepted by the Independent Committee and verified by DFID’s independent financial adviser, Campbell Lutyens and Co Ltd.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent on (a) internal and (b) external (i) advisers and (ii) consultants for services in relation to the sale of Actis; and if he will make a statement. [189575]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: DFID spent £14,651 on internal advisers and £2,708,362 on consultants in relation to the establishment and sale of Actis. However, part of this amount was spent on consultants who worked on the overall reorganisation of CDC which included, but went beyond the establishment of, the Actis Partnership. We are not able to disaggregate those costs that relate only to the establishment and sale of the Actis Partnership.
The restructuring was a complex process that required expert advice on a range of issues. It is entirely normal for Government Departments to seek and use outside expertise when dealing with these issues.
Afghanistan: Drugs
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what advice his Department is providing to the Government of Afghanistan on the provision of alternative livelihoods to those within the drugs economy. [190444]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: In February 2008, DFID and the World Bank launched a report entitled Afghanistan-Economic Incentives and Development Initiatives to Reduce Opium Production. Following wide consultation, including with a number of Afghan ministries, the report identifies areas for investment which will progressively reduce over time Afghanistan's dependence on opium. The recommendations in the report are addressed to both the Government of Afghanistan and the international community.
The report recommends four entry points for shifting incentives away from drugs towards legal livelihoods:
(i) increasing investment in integrated agricultural support programmes, irrigation and livestock;
(ii) supporting rural enterprise and job creation;
(iii) expanding rural infrastructure programmes particularly roads and water; and
(iv) strengthening village and district level governance bodies.
A copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.
Afghanistan: Education
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of (a) schools, (b) teachers and (c) pupils in Afghanistan, in the last two years, broken down by state. [188198]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Data are not currently available in the time frame requested. However, we estimate that there are currently around 5.4 million children now in school in Afghanistan, over a third of them girls. This is up from an estimated one million children in 2001, of whom very few were girls, who were officially denied access to education under the Taliban. 27 per cent. of girls and 44 per cent. of boys in rural areas now attend school, and 51 per cent. of girls and 55 per cent. of boys in urban areas now attend school.
Current Government of Afghanistan figures estimate that there are currently 8,000 useable schools in Afghanistan and between 30,000 and 40,000 students complete high school every year, with one third going on to further education.
The Ministry of Education in Afghanistan has published its National Education Strategic plan for Afghanistan 2006-10. A copy has been placed in the Library for further information.
Afghanistan: Health Services
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of (a) health care facilities, (b) doctors and (c) people treated in Afghanistan, in each of the last two years, broken down by province. [188199]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: This information is not publicly available, however DFID obtained the following figures from the Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health:
| 2007 | |||
| Province | Healthcare facilities | Doctors | Number of people treated |
The only data available for 2006 are for the number of patients treated in each province:
| Province | Number of people treated |
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