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4 Mar 2008 : Column 2250W—continued
Departmental Equality
Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of the duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty. [190683]
Gillian Merron: DFID published its disability equality scheme on 4 December 2006. This can be viewed on the DFID website:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/search/proxy/query.html?col=dfid&;qt=disability+equality+scheme&charset=iso-8859-1
DFID holds the Jobcentre Plus ‘Two Ticks’ disability symbol which promotes the recruitment and retention of people with disabilities and has a disability champion, a disability liaison officer and a strengthened disability forum network.
A central diversity team will continue to monitor progress against the action plan and report on progress in DFID’s 2007-08 Annual Diversity report, to be published in March 2008.
Departmental Private Finance Initiative
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) value and (b) start date was of each private finance initiative project approved by his Department in each of the last three financial years. [190796]
Mr. Malik: DFID has not entered into any private finance initiative projects within the last three years.
Departmental Translation Services
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent on translation services by his Department, associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06, (d) 2006-07 and (e) 2007-08 to date. [187991]
Mr. Malik: A full record of payments for translation services is not held centrally, and could not be produced without incurring disproportionate cost.
No payments for translation services were made by non-departmental public bodies. DFID has no agencies.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what documents his Department, associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies has translated for people in the UK who do not speak English. [188005]
Mr. Malik: None of DFID's documents that have been translated are primarily aimed at people in the UK who do not speak English. Documents are translated primarily for audiences in the countries in which DFID works such as Government officials, non-governmental organisations, and other stakeholders in civil society.
No payments for translation services were made by non-departmental public bodies. DFID has no agencies.
Departmental Written Questions
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of Parliamentary questions for answer on a named day to his Department received an (a) holding and (b) substantive answer on the named day in each year since 2001. [190287]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Details of named-day parliamentary questions for the 2006-07 parliamentary session and the 2007-08 to date are as follows:
| Session | Total named day parliamentary questions | Holding answer issued | Substantive answer by named day |
| (1) As at 29 February. | |||
DFID endeavours to reply to all parliamentary questions within parliamentary deadlines where possible. Details of sessions prior to those aforementioned are not held centrally and obtaining them would involve disproportionate costs.
Developing Countries: Health
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if his Department will take steps to encourage governments of developing countries to increase the transparency and public accountability of their policies on child health and nutrition. [189248]
Gillian Merron: The 2006 International Development White Paper “Making Governance Work for the Poor” sets out how the Department for International Development is encouraging developing country governments to increase transparency and accountability of all their policies and programmes, including those for child health and nutrition. For example, we help partner countries to improve the capacity of state institutions and strengthen accountability to the poor, through, for instance, stronger parliamentary and regulatory oversight.
“Making Governance Work for the Poor” is available online at:
Kosovo: Education
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the percentage of (a) children and (b) girls enrolled in (i) primary and (ii) secondary education in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [189999]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The information requested is as follows.
| Figures for 2003 (Source—UNDP Human Development Report 2006) | ||
| Percentage | ||
| Primary | Secondary | |
| (1) i.e. for every 100 boys there are around 92 girls. | ||
The Government of Kosovo, in collaboration with the World Bank, is in the process of developing a new Education Strategy Plan which will be used to co-ordinate all Government and donor funding.
Sudan: Politics and Government
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's most recent assessment is of the humanitarian situation in Darfur. [190593]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 29 February 2008]: The impact of the recent increase in violence in West Darfur is of grave concern, with over 57,000 newly displaced people and 160,000 cut off from humanitarian aid. Across Darfur as a whole 75,000 people have been displaced since the start of 2008. Malnutrition rates are climbing over the emergency threshold for the first time since 2004. The poor harvest in late 2007 and continuing displacement and insecurity threaten to exacerbate this problem.
On 27 February, my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development issued a joint statement calling again on all parties to stop the violence; to allow immediate humanitarian access; to ensure respect for international humanitarian law including the protection of civilians; and to facilitate deployment of the AU-UN peacekeeping force (UNAMID). The UK continues to work closely with the UN and others to achieve these aims and to improve the humanitarian situation in Darfur.
Vietnam: Chemical Weapons
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2008, Official Report, columns 753-4W, on Vietnam, what international guidelines apply to concentrations of dioxin; and what the concentrations of dioxins are in those hotspots of serious contamination in Vietnam. [190168]
Mr. Malik: The calculation of acceptable dioxin levels in soil/sediment or in humans is complex. For soil or sediment, the Atlanta Centre for Disease Control in the US uses 1,000 parts per trillion Toxic Equivalence Quote (ppt TEQ) as being the maximum allowable level of dioxin contamination permitted before some form of corrective action must be taken to mitigate TEQ exposure. For the human body, the UK Food Standards Agency has set the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of dioxin at 2 picogram (pc)/kilogramme (kg) of body weight. This is based on World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.
The concept of a dioxin “hotspot” was developed by Hatfield Consultants Ltd (Canada) while working with the Ministry of Health in Vietnam. It found that the current level of dioxin contamination in and around the former US air bases where dioxin was stored, mixed and loaded onto planes—the hot spots—was much higher than current levels in the areas sprayed during the war. The three major hotspots are in Southern Vietnam at the former US air bases at Da Nang, Bien Hoa, and Phu Cat. Studies conducted between 2000 and 2004 by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence found an average dioxin level of about 35,000 ppt TEQ at Da Nang and Bien Hoa airports. This is 35 times higher than acceptable levels recommended by the Atlanta Centre for Disease Control.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2008, Official Report, columns 753-4W, on Vietnam: chemical weapons, how many Vietnamese have been identified as victims of Agent Orange (a) inside and (b) outside areas which were sprayed; and what estimate has been made of the numbers of as yet unborn people who will be affected. [190169]
Mr. Malik: There is no agreed accurate information available on how many Vietnamese were victims of Agent Orange and other herbicides, during and since the war, or on how many will be affected in the future.
The Government of Vietnam state that up to 5 million people may have been affected by Agent Orange. The US suggests that the number is probably much lower and is funding research to provide clearer evidence of the link between dioxins and health and of the number of people affected.
Transport
Transport Infrastructure: North-East
11. Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the north-east’s transport infrastructure; and if she will make a statement. [190982]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Investment in transport in the north-east is at record levels. The north-east also benefits from improvements to key corridors and services outside the region. Expenditure across English regions is not directly comparable; a wide range of factors are taken into account in determining how funding should be distributed.
Maritime Transport
12. Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to encourage people to take up careers in maritime transport. [190983]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department continues to support the excellent work of the Merchant Navy Training Board and Sea Vision in promoting maritime careers around the country.
In addition, the Government provide support for seafarer training through the Tonnage Tax core training commitment and the Support for Maritime Training scheme.
Foreign Lorries
13. Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will bring forward proposals for a scheme to charge foreign registered lorries for their use of the UK's road network. [190984]
Jim Fitzpatrick: We have studied options for compiling a database of foreign haulage operations and vehicles to assist in the targeting of enforcement, including a “vignette” scheme whereby lorries would pay a charge for use of UK roads for a given time. The Department published a progress report alongside the 2007 pre-Budget report. The study has raised a number of legal and other issues and we are considering the way forward.
Congestion: London
14. Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will bring forward legislative proposals to provide her with powers to reduce traffic congestion in London. [190985]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The responsibility for setting and delivering a transport strategy for London was delegated to the Mayor of London under the Greater London Authority Act 1999. That Act also gave the Mayor the powers required to introduce road charging schemes to reduce traffic congestion in London. The Department continues to work closely with the Mayor, and Transport for London, to monitor the impact of his transport strategy.
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