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25 Mar 2008 : Column 32W—continued
International Development
Afghanistan: Opium
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures his Department is taking to reduce poppy production in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [196276]
Mr. Malik: The Department for International Development's (DFID) livelihoods programme supports the Government of Afghanistan’s National Drugs Control Strategy (NDCS). The NDCS aims to reduce poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, acknowledging that sustainable drug elimination takes time. It highlights key priorities where activity is likely to make the greatest impact in the short-term. One of these priorities is strengthening and diversifying legal livelihoods so that farmers and other rural workers are no longer dependent on poppy cultivation. This means tackling key constraints such as access to markets and credit, labour opportunities and training.
DFID has provided over £100 million over the last three years to support this aim. The majority of this funding has been channelled through the Government of Afghanistan’s own national programmes, including programmes to:
rehabilitate rural roads, generating employment and improving access to markets (£18 million over three years, supporting rehabilitation of over 9,700 km of roads)
enable communities to implement their development priorities (almost £50 million over six years, supporting over 34,000 projects)
provide small loans to support licit businesses (£40 million over three years to support loans to over 400,000 Afghans)
DFID also supports research into a range of alternative crops including mint and saffron. Further information on DFID’s livelihoods programme and other activities in Afghanistan is available on the DFID website at the following address:
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of the volume of poppy production in Afghanistan in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [196279]
Mr. Malik: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts annual surveys of opium cultivation in Afghanistan. The following data are drawn from the UNODC surveys.
| Potential total volume of opium production (Metric tonnes) | Estimated opium cultivation (Hectares) | Opium poppy as a percentage of agricultural land | |
| (1) Data not available. | |||
Burma: Food Supply
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received of the adequacy of the harvest in Chin state, Burma; what discussions he has held with the World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies on the adequacy of food supply in Chin state; what assessment he has made of the risk of famine there; and if he will make a statement. [196399]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Food Programme (WFP) and non-governmental organisations have reported on the risk of food shortages in western Burma resulting from rodent infestations. The WFP has sent a mission to Chin state to assess the extent of the problem. The Department for International Development's (DFID) office in Burma is in contact with the UNDP and WFP about what humanitarian response may be required.
HIV Infection
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what representations he has made to his G8 counterparts to ensure that progress towards the G8 target of achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services by 2010 will be discussed at (a) the meeting of G8 development Ministers in April and (b) the G8 summit in Tokyo in July; and if he will make a statement; [195028]
(2) what assessment he has made of progress towards the G8 target of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services by 2010; what estimate he has made of the likely cost of reaching this target; what proportion of that cost he expects G8 countries to meet; and if he will make a statement; [195029]
(3) what assessment he has made of whether the G8 will reach its commitment of (a) $1.5 billion for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission services and (b) $1.8 billion for paediatric treatment by 2010; what proportion of these commitments will be met by funding from his Department; and if he will make a statement. [195030]
Mr. Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Nigel Griffiths) on 19 March 2008, Official Report, columns 1183-84W.
United Nations: Equality
Dr. Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make representations for inclusion of a discussion on gender equality and women’s empowerment at the UN High Level Meeting on 25 September 2008. [194516]
Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development has agreed to promote gender equality at the UN High Level Meeting on 25 September 2008 through supporting the Danish Government who are leading on co-ordinating international support for Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 3 (Promote gender equality and empower women) within the MDG Call to Action Campaign. The UK’s contribution to the Danish initiative is to co-sponsor an event in Copenhagen in April which will discuss how to put gender equality and women’s empowerment at the heart of the MDG Call to Action. The UK will also support Danish efforts to organise a side meeting on the importance of gender equality to the MDGs at the UN High Level Meeting.
Treasury
Bank Services: Liechtenstein
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent from the public purse to obtain information on British clients of Liechtenstein banks. [196258]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 10 March 2008, Official Report, columns 115W-16W.
Carbon Emissions: Finance
Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of GDP that will be spent in the UK in the 2008-09 financial year on measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. [195240]
Angela Eagle: The Government use a package of policy instruments to reduce emissions. Spending measures are important, but form only one element alongside, for example, regulation, fiscal measures and trading schemes. These stimulate behaviour change and investment both here and outside the UK. The Government do not make an annual estimate of the amount spent in the UK on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, though they do publish annual emissions data.
However, modelling has been conducted for the Energy White Paper to assess the potential costs to the UK economy from meeting its long-term targets. Analysis for the 2020 target suggests that (under a hypothetical scenario and subject to appropriate caveats) acting unilaterally, UK GDP will be lower by 1.7 per cent. in 2020 compared with no action; that acting multilaterally reduces this impact to 1.3 per cent. of UK GDP in 2020; and that achieving a 30 per cent. reduction in carbon emissions would cost 0.6 per cent. of GDP in 2020 if the UK purchased abatement abroad.
The Stern review concluded that the costs of reducing emissions to levels that avoid the worst risks of climate change are significant but manageable, whereas delay will be costly and dangerous.
Child Benefit
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much child benefit was paid in respect of children living outside the United Kingdom in each of the last five years. [195846]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) on 10 March 2008, Official Report, column 116W.
Council Tax: Valuation
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what success fee was paid to Cole Layer Trumble for its work on the automated valuation model to assist council tax revaluation in England. [193846]
Jane Kennedy: Cole Layer Trumble (CLT) supported the development of an automated valuation model (AVM) for the now postponed council tax revaluation in England—the largest application of such technology in the world. The fee of £115,000 is equivalent to approximately 3.5 per cent. of accumulated payments under this contract; the making of such payments is in line with procurement best practice.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008, Official Report, column 613W, on council tax: valuation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the OGC Action Plan mentioned in the minutes of the Valuation Office Agency’s Council Tax Revaluation 2007 programme board of 22 November 2005. [193919]
Jane Kennedy: This Action Plan, which is now closed, related to the outcomes of an OGC Gateway Review. The disclosure of such reviews is currently the subject of proceedings in the High Court in an unrelated case.
Data Protection
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many security specialists and security assurance and data protection and validation officers were employed by (a) HM Treasury, (b) HM Revenue and Customs and (c) other agencies in each region and county in each year since 2004. [189567]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 27 February 2008]: Security, data protection and validation responsibilities are spread over a number of different posts and no central record is maintained.
HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, and other agencies follow security advice provided by the Cabinet Office. Departmental Security Officers have responsibility for the protective security measures, an area supported by other specialist staff as appropriate. External security consultants are employed when this provides best value for money.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008, Official Report, column 1642W, on data protection, when each of the 37 data guardians was appointed; and how long each appointment is for. [195911]
Jane Kennedy: HMRC's data guardians were appointed in late 2007. The appointments are not time limited.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008, Official Report, column 1642W, on data protection, what the civil service grade of each data guardian is. [195913]
Jane Kennedy: The role of each data guardian varies according to the size of the relevant business unit and the amount and type of data that it processes.
Of HMRC's 37 data guardians, 21 are SCS 1, 8 are Grade 6, and 8 are Grade 7.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008, Official Report, column 1642W, on data protection, where each of the data guardians not in Tyne and Wear or London are based. [195914]
Jane Kennedy: Of the 11 HMRC data guardians not based in either Tyne and Wear or London, four are based in Manchester, four based in Nottingham and one each in Worthing, Telford and Preston.
Departmental Labour Turnover
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008, Official Report, column 1636W, on departmental labour turnover, how many civil servants voluntarily ceased employment, excluding redundancies, within his Department (a) since 1 July 2007, (b) between 1 November 2006 and 31 June 2007 and (c) in each month between October 2006 and the most recent month for which figures are available. [195903]
Angela Eagle: The number of HM Treasury employees who left employment due to resignation is as follows:
(a) for the period 1 July 2007 to 29 February 2008: 83.
(b) between 1 November 2006 and 30 June 2007: 53.
(c) in each month between 1 October 2006 and 29 February 2008:
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