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18 Jun 2008 : Column 1044W—continued
South Asia: Tuberculosis
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent in the South Asia region to combat tuberculosis in each of the last three years; and what his assessment is of the performance of programmes receiving such funds. [211724]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Within the South Asia region, DFID has provided support specifically targeted at tuberculosis control in India, Nepal and Pakistan.
In India, DFID contributed £9.9 million, £8.4 million and £8.3 million in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively to the national tuberculosis control programme. The MDG (Millennium Development Goal) targets for tuberculosis control are 70 per cent. case detection and 85 per cent. cure rates. These were reached in India in 2007.
In Nepal, DFID provided £1.7 million to the national TB programme between 2005 and 2007. MDG targets were reached in 2005 and performance has since been maintained.
In Pakistan, DFID supports a set of seven national health programmes, one of which is tuberculosis control. £15 million was spent annually on the seven programmes from 2005 to 2008. The MDG targets were reached in 2007.
Sudan: Overseas Aid
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the UK plans to contribute to the annual budget of the World Food Programme Humanitarian Service in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. [211545]
Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development provides humanitarian support to United Nations agencies in Sudan through the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF). This allows the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator to decide on priority funding needs. We have given £40 million to the CHF this year.
DFID has urged the UN to consider the case for increased CHF funding for the Humanitarian Air Service. As a first step, an additional US $4 million has already been made available and a further grant of US $2 million is under active consideration. We will continue to press the UN on this matter.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his international partners on the budget of the World Food Programme Humanitarian Service in Sudan. [211547]
Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) has engaged intensively with international partners about the funding problems being experienced by the World Food Programme's Humanitarian Air Service (HAS) in Sudan. We are encouraging the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) to provide longer term funding for HAS.
In addition, DFID has urged the UN to consider the case for increased funding for the HAS. As a first step, an additional US$4m has already been made available and a further grant of US$2 million is under active consideration. These additional funds come from the Common Humanitarian Fund for Sudan, to which DFID has contributed £40 million this year.
Zimbabwe: Asylum
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of Zimbabwean refugees in neighbouring countries; and if he will make a statement. [210488]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Current estimates indicate around 1.4 million Zimbabweans have fled to neighbouring states; the vast majority (around one million) to South Africa, with Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi taking the remainder. However, the true numbers are almost impossible to obtain, particularly as many travel illegally. The United Nations High Commission for refugees classifies the vast majority of these people as economic migrants rather than refugees.
Zimbabwe: Food Aid
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate he has of the numbers of people in Zimbabwe dependent on food aid. [210486]
Mr. Douglas Alexander:
The World Food programme estimates that around 300,000 people will be dependent on food aid this month in Zimbabwe. However, many
people are currently surviving on the recent harvest. With the start of the hungry season in August, numbers requiring food aid are predicted to increase to a peak of around £4.1 million in January 2009. These figures reflect food aid needs only; they do not account for other forms of humanitarian assistance.
Zimbabwe: Overseas Aid
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of Zimbabweans who will be affected by the Zimbabwean government's decision to restrict the activities of international aid organisations; and if he will make a statement. [210487]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that around 1.5 million people are being affected by the Zimbabwe Government's suspension of NGO activity in Zimbabwe. If the suspension extends into July and beyond, this number will rise. The longer the suspension goes on, the more serious the impact on relief efforts. WFP's main feeding programme is due to scale up from August and should reach around four million people at the height of the hungry season in early 2009. Absence of large scale feeding programmes in the second half of the year could lead to high levels of malnutrition and increased mortality.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government have taken to protect aid agency workers in Zimbabwe. [211053]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Following a Government of Zimbabwe order suspending NGO activity across the country, DFID have been in touch with all agencies to which it provides funding to make them aware of the potential risks. We continue to press for humanitarian access at the highest levels of the UN. I have spoken personally to John Holmes and Ban Ki-moon.
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