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19 Jun 2008 : Column 1177W—continued
Developing Countries: Children
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to support progress on Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, relating to child mortality and maternal health, at the June European Council. [211885]
Mr. Thomas: In response to UK lobbying, the EU agreed at the recent General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) to prepare an EU “Agenda for Action” on the MDGs for the June European Council. The UK has been working hard to secure an ambitious document with specific targets, milestones and financial commitments in key areas including health. This agenda is now nearing finalisation and the current text includes several EU targets on maternal health and child mortality, including ensuring 21 million more births are attended by skilled personnel by 2010.
We will be urging EU member states to endorse the Agenda for Action at the June European Council, and for this to be reflected in the Council Conclusions. By setting a high standard at the Council, the EU will create the momentum for other countries to do more at the G8 and UN meetings later this year, particularly the UN Secretary-General's MDG summit in September.
Emerging Africa Infrastructure Facility
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the contribution of the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Facility to the development of economic infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. [211811]
Mr. Thomas:
The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) has committed to lend US $300 million, of which US $60 million represents equity provided by DFID, for a number of investments in economic infrastructure and improved services in sub-Saharan Africa. These loans are helping to mobilise more than US $5 billion of private investment to deliver port, energy and agricultural facilities as well as improved
electricity and communications services for more than three million people in Africa. The performance of EAIF was recently assessed, together with other private sector infrastructure investment facilities supported by DFID, in an independent review commissioned by DFID’s evaluation team. Evaluation Report EV684, March 2008 is available online at:
Ethiopia: Economic Situation
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps have been taken to tackle food shortages and poverty in Ethiopia in the last two years. [211822]
Gillian Merron: In 2006-07 and 2007-08 the Department for International Development provided assistance amounting to £231 million to Ethiopia. We focus our efforts on three main areas, in support of the Ethiopian government's efforts to reduce poverty: improving governance, promoting human development, and encouraging sustainable growth. Since 2005 DFID has contributed £91 million to the Productive Safety Net Programme, which provides cash and food to some seven million people who face food shortages every year, in exchange for participation in public works. We also provided £7 million in response to emergency appeals.
This year, Ethiopia is struggling to cope with the combined effects of high food prices and a poor rainy season and the latest available figures indicate that a further 4.6 million people will need emergency food aid from June to September this year. In 2008, DFID has given £5 million to the UN-managed Humanitarian Response Fund for humanitarian operations in Ethiopia, and is planning to give a further £10 million in response to the worsening situation.
Ethiopia: Food Aid
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his latest estimate is of the number of people in Ethiopia dependent on food aid; and if he will make a statement. [211183]
Gillian Merron: The latest available figures indicate that 4.6 million people will need emergency food aid from June to September this year. This is in addition to the 7.2 million people in Ethiopia who face food shortages every year, and who receive support through the Ethiopian Government's Productive Safety Net Programme, to which the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) is a major contributor providing £91 million since 2005.
In 2008, DFID has also given £5 million to the UN-managed Humanitarian Response Fund for humanitarian operations in Ethiopia, and is planning to give a further £10 million in response to the worsening situation.
Ethiopia: Unemployment
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps he has taken to tackle unemployment in Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement. [211821]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development's work in Ethiopia is focused on three main areas: improving governance, promoting human development, and encouraging sustainable growth. Through the Productive Safety Net Programme cash or food is provided for vulnerable households in exchange for temporary employment on public works. In addition, our contribution to the Protection of Basic Services programme enables the Ethiopian Government to pay the salaries of staff working in health and education.
Fairtrade Initiative
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2008, Official Report, column 1175W, on the Fair Trade initiative, how much his Department spent on refreshments for official departmental meetings and engagements in each of the last three financial years; and what percentage of this expenditure was on Fair Trade products. [211561]
Mr. Thomas: The amounts spent on hospitality for meetings for the last three years are as follows:
| £ | |
Precise figures for the proportion of the above which is Fairtrade are not available, but based on value it is estimated that it represents around 35 per cent.
Iraq: Utilities
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department has given to Southern Iraq to improve infrastructure for the supply of water and power. [212703]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on Wednesday 18 June 2008, Official Report, column 1040W.
Malawi: Health Services
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on improving health care, and access to health care, in Malawi since 2005. [211820]
Gillian Merron: By the end of June 2008, the Department for International Development (DFID) will have spent approximately £55.5 million on improving health and access to health care in Malawi since 2005. This includes £7 million of DFID general budget support allocated by the Government of Malawi to improving health care; £40,475,323 of direct support to the Ministry of Health; and £8,176,835 to non-governmental organisations to provide services and technical assistance. In addition, DFID has provided £4,510,606 to the National AIDS Commission (NAC) to scale up HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, management and support.
In 2005 to 2011, the UK has committed a total of £100 million support to the health sector programme in Malawi. Additionally, £14 million has been committed to support the National AIDS Commission (NAC) to scale up interventions in HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and management.
Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework will be published. [211986]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: All of the Department for International Development’s independent evaluations are published at:
Mozambique: Floods
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development by what means his Department monitors the effectiveness of its contribution to the government of Mozambique resettlement fund for relocation of those at risk from flooding. [211799]
Gillian Merron: Two advisers from the Department for International Development’s office in Mozambique visited the disaster area in June to monitor the effectiveness of its contribution to the government of Mozambique Resettlement Fund for relocation of those at risk from flooding. DFID officials assessed the capacity of the government's disaster response unit in Caia, met with communities affected by floods on both sides of the Zambezi river, inspected infrastructure under construction, e.g. access to roads, railway and bridges, evaluated water management, irrigation and agricultural investment and discussed progress with NGOs working in the region .
Nepal: Overseas Aid
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has provided in humanitarian and development aid to the health sector in Nepal in the last 10 years; and what projects have been supported by such funding. [211638]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Over the last decade, DFID has provided £64,176,124 to the health sector in Nepal. Of this, £62,076,907 has been provided for development through longer term projects and programmes which support the public sector delivery of services. The remaining £2,099,217 was provided for humanitarian projects which were short term and were mainly delivered by non- government providers. The following programmes have been supported:
| Name of programme | Duration of programme | Amount spent to date (£) |
|
Completed projects (ii) funded from Global Conflict prevention programme: humanitarian assistance | ||
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent in Nepal to support child health interventions through the Ministry of Health. [211727]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided £16.26 million to the Nepalese Ministry of Health and Population's Child Health Programme since 2005. In addition, DFID funds a major Safe Motherhood programme which has provided £4.9 million earmarked budget support since 2006.
Nile Basin Initiative
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment has been made of the impact of the Nile Basin Initiative in the region; and what the role of his Department was in implementing this initiative. [211813]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Through its projects across Nile Basin, the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) is building greater awareness of the need for and benefits of cooperative development. The investment projects under preparation include flood protection, watershed management, and power sharing.
The NBI is assessed annually by all funding partners. The last meeting was in April 2008. We concluded that the NBI is making good progress to build regional cooperation to better manage the water resources of the
Nile. This is essential to tackle poverty, enable growth and maintain peace in the region, as well as for climate change adaptation.
DFID engages with the NBI on a regular basis to support implementation and to review progress. In recognition of our commitment to achieving Nile cooperation and the ongoing success of the NBI, we recently doubled our financing to the NBI, now with a total commitment of £14 million.
DFID also supports civil society engagement in the NBI, through the Nile Basin Discourse. This aims to bring greater voice and accountability to the Government led development process.
Overseas Aid
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reason 3 per cent. of the scheduled poverty reduction budget for 2007 was not disbursed; and what has happened to those funds. [211722]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Details on the predictability of DFID Poverty Reduction Budget Support in 2007 are available in Table 5.5, page 96 of the DFID publication 'Development: Making it Happen', DFID's 2008 Annual Report. This publication is available online at
Any funds not disbursed to partner governments were reallocated to other programmes.
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