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7 July 2008 : Column 1212W—continued
In addition, DFID pays the annual standard TV licence fee of £139.50 per year for two Freeview digital boxes.
Developing Countries: Debts
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to ensure that heavily indebted countries are able to access debt relief funds from the UK Government. [215596]
Mr. Thomas: The UK provides debt relief to heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs) under the internationally agreed frameworks. Excellent progress has been made, with 33 countries benefiting from debt relief under HIPC; of these 23 have received 100 per cent. irrevocable debt cancellation, under the multilateral debt relief initiative. To qualify, countries must demonstrate a commitment to macro-economic stability and poverty reduction, and have cleared any arrears to the international financial institutions. The UK exceeds our obligations under the HIPC Initiative, providing 100 per cent. debt relief on bilateral debts.
The UK supports HIPC countries to achieve debt relief. We have consistently argued for the World Bank and IMF to apply the HIPC criteria flexibly, taking account of a country's circumstances. For instance, whether it is emerging from conflict. We are the second largest donor towards the multilateral costs of HIPC debt relief, enabling countries to receive their debt relief in a timely way. We have contributed our full share to MDRI and made substantial contributions towards clearing arrears of HIPCs, most recently Liberia. Many of the HIPCs that have yet to qualify for debt relief are affected by conflict or poor governance.
Developing Countries: HIV Infection
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to increase access to HIV positive preventative services for (a) injecting drug users and (b) men who have sexual intercourse with men in developing countries. [215417]
Gillian Merron: The ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’ places at its heart the needs and rights of women, young people, children and vulnerable groups, including injecting drug users and men who have sex with men. The international goal of universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support requires a commitment to equity, inclusion and human rights. The UK Government are intensifying efforts to increase the coverage of HIV/AIDS services for injecting drug users in countries where they are most affected and to improve the international environment on harm reduction, particularly through advocating for a stronger reflection on harm reduction and AIDS at the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in March 2009. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will work with the Department for International Development (DFID) to ensure broad and effective UK support.
A copy of the updated strategy ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’ and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website:
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to provide technical, financial and political support to countries wishing to use TRIPS flexibilities. [215486]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) fully supports the right of developing countries to use all the flexibilities in the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, notably to ensure affordable access to medicines to meet public health needs. In particular the DFID aims to ensure that EU agreements with developing countries avoid, as a matter of course, imposing intellectual property obligations that eliminate these flexibilities.
Over the last five years DFID has spent over £1.6 million on enhancing developing countries' knowledge of and capability to use the TRIPS agreement, as well as their flexibilities within it. In September 2007, an additional £1.35 million was committed over three years, to assist developing countries implement intellectual property policies in ways that support sustainable development. This includes support through the International Centre for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how gender-based differences in AIDS prevention, education, and aid are incorporated into his Department's AIDS Strategy. [215487]
Gillian Merron: The UK Government's updated seven year AIDS strategy ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK's strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’ places at its heart the needs and rights of women and girls. This includes promoting the needs and rights of women through the integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV, challenging gender based violence, research into female controlled prevention techniques such as microbicides, supporting girl's education, and reducing the burden of care on women and children through social protection. The updated AIDS strategy recognises that addressing gender inequality and ensuring women’s rights is essential if we are to achieve universal access.
The Department for International Development's (DFID) commitment to gender equality is set out in the 2006 White Paper
and the 2007 gender equity action plan
We will identify gender related targets in our corporate business plan, which will be monitored and evaluated at divisional level. Internationally, we are engaging with the OECD Development Assistance committee (DAC) on how to improve the quality of gender statistics and we will work to ensure that national AIDS plans integrate gender analysis and development indicators to measure the impact of the response to women and girls.
A copy of the updated strategy ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’ and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website:
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on the earmarking of AIDS aid for children; and whether such earmarked funds will be incorporated in the new AIDS Strategy. [215488]
Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development's previous AIDS strategy ‘Taking Action’ was launched in 2004. This set a £150 million earmark for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). The earmark was an important step in accelerating action. Considerable progress has been made against the target, and initial estimates suggest we have exceeded it. It is likely that future support to orphans and vulnerable children from other donors will also increase in the coming years.
The UK Government continue to place the needs and rights of children affected by AIDS at the heart of our updated AIDS strategy ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK's strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’. Over the next three years we are committed to expanding our social protection programmes to over £200 million, which will be channelled both through Government and non-governmental organisations. Evidence has shown that integrating the needs of orphans and vulnerable children into social protection programmes, including cash transfers, is highly effective in reaching children affected by AIDS and promoting their access to basic services.
A copy of the updated strategy ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’ and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website:
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development by what means his Department will disburse the £2.5 billion allocated to AIDS in the Developing World over the next three years; and whether any private organisations will be involved in the implementation of this aid. [215633]
Gillian Merron: In “Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world” the UK Government committed £6 billion to strengthen health systems and services over seven years to 2015. The UK Government have also committed to spend over £200 million on social protection over three years to support the most vulnerable households, including orphans and vulnerable children. Funding for research and development of AIDS vaccines and microbicides will be increased by at least 50 per cent. over 2008-13. In addition to these recent commitments, the UK Government have made a long-term commitment of £1 billion (2007-15) to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
In countries with strong commitments to development, Department for International Development (DFlD) support is focused on the implementation of comprehensive country-led HIV/AIDS strategies, directly funding governments and working with civil society partners and donor agencies. In more fragile states, where governments are less effective, we provide technical support to strengthen Government capacity as well as direct support for service delivery by civil society
organisations. Half of our support reaches countries through international agencies including UNAIDS, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Bank and the European Commission. The private sector plays a significant role in the provision of services, through funding and research, influencing Governments and promoting workplace policies and corporate responsibility programmes which mitigate the impact of AIDS.
A copy of the updated strategy ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’ and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website:
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what programmes are being funded by his Department to facilitate universal access to HIV treatment; and what the estimated cost of providing these programmes is; [215637]
(2) what financial support his Department's programmes provide to those living with AIDS who are in need of treatment; and what plans he has for the future provision of such programmes; [215639]
(3) if he will break down by main budget heading the spending plans for the Government's AIDS strategy. [215640]
Gillian Merron: The UK Government are working with others to increase access to more affordable and sustainable AIDS treatment. Specific actions to support these objectives include:
the launch of and support for the Medicines Transparency Initiative, which, by disclosing information on the prices, quality and availability of medicines will help increase public accountability and improve access to medicines, including AIDS treatment;
support for UNITAID, the international drugs purchase facility; and
support for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided over £1.5 billion to tackle HIV and AIDS since 2005. DFID does not break down its expenditure on HIV and AIDS between prevention, treatment and care. Our comprehensive response to the epidemic aims to link these elements. DFID does not support vertical, stand-alone interventions that weaken national systems and responses. In supporting country-led AIDS responses with investments such as budget and sector support we cannot disaggregate our expenditure by prevention, treatment and care.
DFID laid out how it would continue to tackle HIV and AIDS in its recent publication ‘Achieving Universal Access’. DFID's country allocations for the next three years were presented in its annual report 2008, published in May. Individual country allocations for HIV and AIDS will be determined through discussions with other donors, partner governments and other stakeholders to ensure DFID aid is delivered in the most efficient way.
A copy of the updated strategy ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’ and supporting
evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website:
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what plans his Department has to commit funding to the global AIDS strategy to contribute to a reduction in the strategy’s funding gap; [215694]
(2) how much money the Government will be required to commit to the global AIDS strategy to remain the world's second largest AIDS donor in the next financial year; [215695]
(3) what steps his Department is taking to secure donations and assistance to the global AIDS strategy from other countries. [215696]
Gillian Merron: We are unaware of an internationally agreed global AIDS strategy. However, the UK Government are determined to play its part in closing the AIDS funding gap, estimated by UNAIDS to be US$ 40 billion by 2010—a highly ambitious quadrupling of current spending over just three years. That is why we made several new financial commitments in our recently published updated seven year strategy “Achieving Universal Access—UK’s strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world”. These commitments include: £6 billion over seven years to strengthen health systems and £200 million over three years to support social protection programmes.
Our objective is to combat HIV and AIDS and we will continue to encourage other countries and institutions to meet their commitments.
A copy of the updated strategy ‘Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world’ and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website:
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to facilitate transparency in the reporting of AIDS funding in health budgets of those nations receiving UK aid. [215729]
Gillian Merron: The Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) collects data on how much households, national governments, international foundations and charities, as well as bilateral and multilateral assistance agencies spend on AIDS in low and middle income countries. This work helps to develop and maintain the best possible estimates of available financing, for use in tracking progress toward meeting defined resource requirements.
The national accounts of governments in our partner countries also track spending on health and other budget areas. As the nature of much health spending is multipurpose, apportionments to specific diseases, such as AIDS, is not straightforward.
The UK Government also track and monitor their own international development spending on AIDS and health but similarly it is not straightforward to apportion
broader support to health systems to any specific disease. However, much of the UK support to the health sector will contribute to improved AIDS outcomes.
Through the International Health Partnership (IHP), donors are also expected to be more transparent about their support for national health plans, including for HIV/AIDS. Developing country governments have committed to report progress in reaching the targets and disbursing the amounts budgeted in their plans.
Developing Countries: Infant Mortality
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to address child mortality in developing countries, with particular reference to those developing countries with the highest mortality rates. [214811]
Gillian Merron: Progress on strengthening health systems in poor countries is vital if we are to accelerate progress towards achieving the child health Millennium Development Goal. This is why, along with other UN health agencies and a wide range of donors and country partners, DFID has championed the International Health Partnership designed to strengthen health systems and improve in-country donor coordination.
The UK also contributes to global initiatives such as the Global Fund to Fight HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation and Roll Back Malaria, which have helped raise awareness of childhood diseases and substantially increased the resources directed towards improving child health. The UK is also the second biggest donor to UNICEF and supports action to improve child health in several countries including Burundi, DRC, Nepal and Sudan.
On 2 June the UK Government's updated seven-year AIDS strategy "Achieving Universal Access—the UK's strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world" was launched. This made several commitments which will benefit children, including £6 billion over seven years to strengthen health systems and £200 million over three years to support social protection programmes.
A copy of the updated strategy 'Achieving Universal Access—the UK strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world' and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the libraries of both houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website: www.dfid.gov.uk.
Ethiopia: Food
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has given to Ethiopia to help with the recent grain shortage there; and if he will make a statement. [215400]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The UK Government are very concerned at the humanitarian situation in parts of Ethiopia as a result of the failure of the short (Belg) rains. On 12 June the Ethiopian Government and the UN issued a joint appeal for a total of $421 million.
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