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26 Jun 2008 : Column 494W—continued
Developing Countries: Overseas Aid
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projections have been made of future donor funding for the World Bank’s International Development Association; and what change he expects there to be to the UK contribution in each of the next five years. [213243]
Mr. Thomas: The negotiations for the 15(th) replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA 15) concluded in December 2007. 45 donor countries pledged a record £12.6 billion over three years to further the cause of overcoming poverty in the poorest low income countries. As a result of this donor funding the World Bank’s IDA will be able to provide £21 billion over the period 2008-11 to the poorest 80 countries in the world.
The UK has pledged to provide the World Bank £2.134 billion to IDA 15 over the next three years, 2008-11—a 49 per cent. increase over its contribution to IDA 14 (2005-08). The UK Government will be seeking parliamentary approval for this contribution next month. The UK contribution for the period after 2011 will be determined during the IDA 16 negotiations which are scheduled to commence in March 2010.
In addition to this, donors including the UK have agreed to provide compensation to IDA for the costs of providing debt relief under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). Over the next five years the UK contribution for MDRI to IDA is estimated to be £240 million however this is dependant on progress of countries through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
European Development Fund
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contributions his Department makes to the management of the European Development Fund; how co-operation with other member states is managed; and what steps have been taken to improve co-ordination. [213241]
Mr. Thomas: The UK takes a proactive role at the European Development Fund (EDF) Committee, which makes decisions on the EDF. The contributions made by UK Officials at these Committees are based on advice from DFID country offices and other UK Government Departments. Co-operation is managed effectively with other member states by formally and exchanging views, before and during Committee meetings, and developing common positions when appropriate.
At a country level, a number of steps have been taken by the Commission itself to improve co-ordination. When the Commission developed its recent Country Strategy Papers (CSP) under the 10(th) EDF, the Commission organised discussions to ensure complementarity with other bilateral programmes. In some cases, this went
further. In South Africa and Sierra Leone discussions led to a joint CSP between the EC and other member states with a presence in-country.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how he expects his Department's share of funding for the European Development Fund to change in each of the next five years. [213242]
Mr. Thomas: The tenth European Development Fund (EDF) (€22,682,00 million) can be committed from 1 July 2008 and will cover the period 2008-13. The UK's share is 14.82 per cent. (€3,360,00 million). The ninth EDF (€13,800,00 million) ran from 2003-2007. The UK's share amounted to 12.69 per cent. (€1,751,22 million).
The UK's share of the tenth EDF will not change and will remain at 14.82 per cent.. The UK will continue to pay the ninth EDF (12.69 per cent.) until 2010. After this the UK will only make payments at the tenth EDF share (14.82 per cent.).
Foreign Relations
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which bilateral development relationships between the UK and another country have ended in the last three years. [212708]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) has ended the following bilateral development relationships in the last three years:
Khazakstan (2005)
Namibia (2005)
Uzbekistan (2005)
Swaziland (2006)
Sri Lanka (2006)
Russia (2007)
Ukraine (2008)
East Timor (2008)
DFID’s bilateral office and programme in Sri Lanka closed in April 2006. However, DFID’s engagement in Sri Lanka continues through staff seconded to the high commission in Colombo and through DFID funding of UK Government Conflict Prevention Pool activities in Sri Lanka.
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of co-operation between the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the United Nations agencies. [213233]
Gillian Merron:
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) and the UN co-operate in a range of areas. Parts of the UN system such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) are key providers of technical assistance to countries applying for Global Fund support. Some of
them, such as UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund) are also key implementers of Global Fund supported programmes through their work for example in product procurement and supply chain management. The Fund has signed Memoranda of Understanding with both UNDP and UNAIDS.
The Fund is currently undergoing a major independent evaluation of its functioning and performance. One of the three elements of this evaluation will look at the effectiveness and efficiency of the Partnership Environment in which the Fund operates. The Fund is a financing mechanism; it does not implement programmes itself and has no country presence, so it must rely on the activities and support of its development partners. The Secretariat of the Global Fund expects to present this part of the evaluation to a board retreat in October and to the full board in November 2008.
International Health Partnership
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the level of harmonisation between multilateral health agencies following the May 2008 meeting on the International Health Partnership; and what evidence was used to inform this assessment. [213208]
Gillian Merron: At global level the World Health Organisation and World Bank are working effectively together in leading the International Health Partnership (IHP). The eight multilateral health agencies (WHO, World Bank, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, GAVI Alliance, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNAIDS and the Gates Foundation) also meet regularly to coordinate their work and implement the IHP as the H8. At a country level, Department for International Development (DFID) offices are also reporting progress. For example, in Mozambique a central part of the IHP will be developing and implementing a coordinated strategy to scale-up health workers; and in Nepal, the IHP gave momentum to a new policy on free health care.
DFID is pleased that there will now be an external review of the IHP to assess progress against commitments set out in the global IHP Compact, which was signed in September 2007. DFID will be calling for a discussion of the results of that review at ministerial and head of agency level.
Joint Country Strategy for South Africa
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources his Department plans to commit to the joint country strategy for South Africa; and whether the EU or the South African government will administer this initiative. [213235]
Gillian Merron: The joint European Union Strategy Paper (EU-CSP) was signed in 2007 between the European Union, 10 member states (including the UK), and the South African Government. The Strategy was jointly drafted and agreed with the South African National Treasury.
The EU-CSP supports the priorities of the Government of South Africa (GoSA). Donors have agreed to split responsibilities for different sectors. The UK leads on
the employment promotion theme and has established a working group designed to encourage co-operation between donors and Government Departments.
The EU is responsible for administering the strategy, working closely with the South African International Donor Co-ordination (IDC) Department of the National Treasury, which manages international donor relationships.
The UK will provide £20 million annually in bilateral funding to South Africa, between 2008 to 2011. This funding will be spent in line with the EU-CSP Business Plan.
Malaria: Health Education
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has provided funding to (a) Malaria no More, (b) Tam Tam and (c) the UK Campaign Against Malaria; and if he will make a statement. [213298]
Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development has not provided financial support to (a) Malaria no More, (b) Tam Tam or (c) the UK Campaign Against Malaria. However, we do have strong links with and provide support to some of the organisations that are part of the UK Coalition Against Malaria.
South Asia: HIV Infection
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources his Department provided to help reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS in South and South East Asia in each of the last five years. [213246]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Details of bilateral financial resources provided by DFID to help reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS in South and South East Asia, in each of the last five financial years, are given in the following table. Final figures for 2007-08 are not yet available.
| Bilateral expenditure on HIV and AIDS in South and South East Asia 2002-03 to 2006-07 | |||||
| £000 | |||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
DFID also provides multilateral assistance to a range of organisations, some of which is used to fight HIV and AIDS in South and South East Asia, including: the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM); the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and other UN organisations; the European Commission and the World Bank.
South Asia: Primary Education
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research his Department has commissioned on levels of enrolment in primary education in South Asia in the last three years. [212709]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: All Department for International Development (DFID) programmes have a main focus on primary enrolment as part of our commitment to and assessment of progress towards the millennium development goals. In each country, as part of the regular monitoring we undertake jointly with governments and other donors, regular analysis of enrolment data as well as research into specific issues related to enrolment takes place. This enables us to understand the constraints to access faced by particular groups, especially girls, and support interventions aimed at enrolling the hard to reach.
In addition to this country level work, our Central Research Department has commissioned a major international study on access to education which includes India among the sample countries.
Trade Policy Unit
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the joint Trade Policy Unit; and what plans he has for further collaboration with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. [213211]
Mr. Thomas: The Joint Trade Policy Unit was established in summer 2007 and employs 70 staff from across the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department for International Development (DFID). It is delivering a high profile agenda that uniquely integrates the Government’s trade and development objectives. It is driving forward the Government’s effort to secure a Doha Trade deal that promotes market access and development. It leads UK policy on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and is working with a range of partners to ensure these deliver real benefits to developing countries. The Unit is finalising an Aid for Trade strategy that will accelerate progress towards the Government’s 2005 G8 commitments.
Both Departments also collaborate well to implement the OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises including investigation of complaints. Over the next year, collaboration will be strengthened further through work on a long-term trade and development strategy, including a future strategy on free trade agreements and joint work on fair and ethical trade.
UN Country Pilot Scheme
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the expansion of the One UN country pilot scheme to a further 30 states is expected to start. [213247]
Mr. Thomas: The President of the General Assembly has asked for a report on progress in the eight One UN country pilots. We expect the report to be discussed in the coming weeks. Following this, we do not expect that there will be a formal timetable for an expansion of the One UN country pilots. Instead, developing countries that wish to adopt a ‘delivering as one’ approach are expected to do so as they agree new development assistance frameworks with the UN. In addition other countries, such as Malawi, are already coming forward to adopt principles of good practice from the One UN pilots.
United Nations Children Fund
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department's relationship with the United Nations Children’s Fund has been used to help reduce child poverty in the UK. [213249]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not directly support the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to reduce child poverty in the United Kingdom. DFID contributes central funding of £21 million a year to support UNICEF's Medium Term Strategic Plan (2006-09) which focuses on the poorest countries to address the causes and results of child poverty.
In partnership with Sweden and Canada we are helping UNICEF to improve organisational performance at all levels, assisting them to fulfil their global mandate to promote the rights of the child to survival, development, protection and women's full enjoyment of human rights. By enhancing their effectiveness UNICEF can work to improve the lives of all children worldwide.
United Nations Population Fund
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had on incentivising United Nations Population Fund staff to increase collaboration across the UN system. [213250]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) has had extensive dialogue with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on strengthening collaboration across the UN system.
This has resulted in UNFPA clearly outlining how they will advance collaboration in their new strategic plan, regionalisation programme and development results frameworks. UNFPA has issued guidance to country offices on UN reform and has provided incentives for staff by introducing indicators on collaborative working into their staff performance frameworks.
DFID is currently developing a Performance Monitoring Framework for future core commitment to UNFPA (2008-09—2010-11). This will contain indicators and targets on increasing UN collaboration.
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