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13 May 2008 : Column 1471W—continued
Departmental Equality
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department met the civil service diversity targets set out on page 51 of Cabinet Office annual report 2007 by April 2008. [204714]
Gillian Merron: The latest published statistics against overall civil service targets were at October 2007, and are available on the civil service website at:
The final measurement against the target will be published in autumn 2008.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of his departmental website. [200148]
Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) website was last redesigned in 2004. This work was largely carried out by DFID staff as part of a wider range of responsibilities. It is not possible to disaggregate the costs of the project from day-to-day publishing and IT support for the website.
Developing Countries: Children
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the United Nations Children’s Fund report, “Our climate, our children, our responsibility;” and if he will make a statement. [203474]
Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) welcomes the recent UNICEF UK report “Our climate, our children, our responsibility” as a valuable contribution to the growing evidence base on the social impacts of climate change, and in particular the impacts on children. Climate change will most affect developing countries, and the poorest and most vulnerable in those societies, including children. This report further underlines the need for the international community to act urgently, both to mitigate the causes of climate change and to support developing countries to adapt to its impacts.
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in respect of the world’s poorest children. [203550]
Gillian Merron: The UK Government have committed £8.5 billion for education in developing countries over the 10 years to 2015-16. During the French President Sarkozy’s recent visit to London, the UK and France agreed to each help support eight million children in school by 2010.
The UK Government commitment also include £150 million for children affected by HIV/AIDS (2004-07), over £10 million for addressing forced labour and child labour and over £16 million to combat trafficking of women and children.
The Department for International Development (DFID) supports children and young people through direct funding to non-governmental organisations, this includes £3.1 million to Plan UK for the period 2007-11 and £20.7 million to Save the Children for the period 2005-11. DFID has committed £7 million over the period 2006-09 to the ‘Young Lives project’, which is a 15-year study of child poverty in four countries.
The UK Government’s work to enhance economic growth and to address inequality in developing countries also benefits the world’s poorest children.
Developing Countries: HIV Infection
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department plans to spend on combating HIV/AIDS in developing countries in each year from 2007-08 to 2009-10. [201940]
Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) has set out its overall country level spending plans for the next three years in its Annual Report which was published on 8 May (for more information see http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/departmental-report/2008/default.asp). These spending plans have been developed as part of an overall planning framework to ensure delivery of the 2008-11 public service agreement on International Poverty Reduction and the underlying DFID Departmental Strategic Objectives.
The UK remains committed to fighting HIV and AIDS in developing countries and has already made an unprecedented long-term commitment to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria of up to £1 billion over 2008-15. More details on DFID's approach to tackling HIV and AIDS will be set out in an updated strategy due to be launched in the near future.
Developing Countries: Overseas Aid
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for which (a) countries and (b) regions his Department will be developing new country assistance plans in 2008 and 2009; and what arrangements he plans to make for consultation on these plans. [205258]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The following country and regional plans have been or are currently scheduled to be submitted for agreement during 2008 and 2009: Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Caribbean, Kenya, Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, Palestine, Nepal, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe. For many of these countries, consultations have already been undertaken or are taking place.
When country and regional plans are being prepared, my Department follows Cabinet Office guidance on consultation processes, including a 12-week public consultation publicised on the Department for International Development (DFID) external website. In addition to discussions with partner governments, in-country and external consultation takes place with other donors, civil society, NGOs and the private sector, and with other UK Government Departments.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he plans to publish the final country assistance plans for (a) countries and (b) regions adopted following recent consultations. [205259]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The country and regional planning process was revised in March 2008. Country and regional plans approved by me will continue to be published on DFID's external website and in hard copy. Future country and regional plans will appear as shorter documents, showing more clearly the link between the UK Government's investment and development needs, where and how funds will be spent and accounted for, and the outcomes expected as a result of our investment. The timetable for doing so will normally be not more than 12 weeks following approval of a country or regional plan.
Mozambique: Overseas Aid
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much financial aid the Government gave to Mozambique in 2007. [203979]
Mr. Malik: In 2006-07, total UK bilateral expenditure in Mozambique was £56.3 million, of which, £46.8 million was delivered as financial aid. Data for 2007-08 will be published later this year in the next edition of Statistics in International Development.
The UK’s imputed share of multilateral official development assistance to Mozambique in 2006-07 was £25.7 million.
Pakistan: Overseas Aid
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on aid to (a) Pakistan and (b) India in each year since 2000. [203770]
Mr. Malik: Details of the Department for International Development's (DFID) bilateral assistance and imputed multilateral assistance to India and Pakistan since 2000 are laid out in the following tables:
| Table 1: Total DFID Bilateral Expenditure , 2000-01 to 2006-07 | ||
| £000 | ||
| India | Pakistan | |
| Table 2: Imputed DFID Share of Multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA), 2000-01 to 2006-07 | ||
| £000 | ||
| India | Pakistan | |
Palestinians: Overseas Aid
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 25 April 2008, Official Report, column 2325W, on Palestinians: overseas aid, what detailed criteria will be applied in making decisions about further UK disbursements; and if he will make a statement. [204079]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: As with every country programme of the Department for International Development (DFID), our aid is given on the basis of need and a shared commitment to poverty reduction.
The Palestinian reform and development plan was the basis for all the $7.7 billion donor pledges at the Paris pledging conference. The UK pledge of £243 million is linked to tangible progress in peace negotiations, including progress on reform and the easing of movement and access restrictions.
UK aid helps the Palestinian Authority fulfil its commitments to the peace process, deliver institutional reform, provide essential services that benefit the poor and vulnerable, and ensure a better security environment.
Taylor Nelson Sofres
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the value of contracts awarded to Taylor Nelson Sofres by his Department was in each year since 1997. [201660]
Mr. Malik: The value of contracts awarded to Taylor Nelson Sofres by the Department for International Development (DFID) in each year since 1997 is as follows:
| £ | |
Zimbabwe: Overseas Aid
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK aid was delivered to Zimbabwe in each of the last five years. [203695]
Mr. Malik: Details on UK aid to Zimbabwe over the last five years are shown in the following tables. Since 2003, none of our aid funding has been given through the Government of Zimbabwe but has been directed instead through the United Nations and non-governmental organisations.
| Table 1: UK Total Bilateral Gross Public Expenditure (GPEX) on Development to Zimbabwe, 2002-03 to 2006-07 | |
| £000 | |
| Total GPEX | |
| Table 2: Imputed UK Share of Multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA), 2002-03 to 2006-07 | |
| £000 | |
| Zimbabwe | |
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
UK-Israeli Relations
11. Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK-Israeli relations on the 60(th) anniversary of the state of Israel. [204805]
David Miliband: I wish to add my congratulations to the state of Israel on its 60(th) anniversary, and its remarkable achievements in politics, business, arts and science. We enjoy a close bilateral relationship. We seek to use our position as a friend of both Israel and the Palestinians to help make progress towards a two state solution, allowing both peoples to live in peace.
Iranian Nuclear Programme
12. Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Iranian nuclear programme. [204807]
David Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Clwyd, West (Mr. Jones) today.
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