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10 Sep 2008 : Column 1836W—continued
| 2008 | ||||||
| Grade | January | February | March | April | May | June |
Departmental Paper
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of paper used (a) for photocopying and (b) in printed publications by his Department was from recycled sources in each of the last two years. [220723]
Gillian Merron: All paper used for photocopying in the last two years has 100 per cent. recycled content.
The Department for International Development (DFID) does not hold the data regarding paper for printed publications centrally, and due to disproportionate cost we cannot supply this information. However, DFID routinely requires that the designers and printers under contract to produce DFID publications source paper that has a minimum of 75 per cent. recycled content.
Departmental Procurement
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's policy is on requesting discounts from its suppliers in return for swift payment of invoices. [220431]
Mr. Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not request discounts from suppliers in return for swift payment of invoices. We do however use other forms of payment mechanism to encourage effective delivery, such as milestone payments for clearly defined deliverables.
In line with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act and Office of Government Commerce (OGC) recommendations, DFID's standard terms and conditions reflect the requirement to pay suppliers within 30 calendar days. This is on the basis that work has been carried out to our satisfaction within the terms of the contract. We are also bound by HM Treasury (HMT) accounting rules in relation to advance payments. This option requires HMT approval and would only apply in exceptional circumstances where value for money could be demonstrated.
Departmental Public Participation
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) listening exercises and (b) public forums his Department has held in each of the last two years; what the (i) purpose and (ii) cost was in each case; and who the private contractor was and how much it was paid in each case. [221354]
Gillian Merron: The information requested is not held centrally and would incur disproportionate costs to obtain.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) reviews and (b) public consultations have been initiated by his Department since 27 June 2007. [221362]
Gillian Merron: Since 27 June 2007 the Department for International Development (DFID) has launched 19 formal public consultations on its public website in order to inform the Department’s policy development.
The consultations launched were:
UK’s Development Plan for Bangladesh
DFID Yemen Country Plan
Working in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): New UK and Denmark Performance and Results Framework 2008-11
Working in partnership with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): New Institutional Strategy (IS)—UK and Denmark, 2008-09 to 2010-11
Working in partnership with the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). New Institutional Strategy, 2008-11
Uganda’s medium term strategic direction
DFID Nigeria Country Assistance Plan
Working in partnership with World Health Organisation (WHO)—New Institutional Strategy (2008-13)
DFID Afghanistan Country Plan
DFID Zambia Country Assistance Plan
New Global Access to Medicines Research Network (ATM RN)
DFID Somalia country Plan
DFID Kenya Country Plan
Working with the European Union: Europe for Development
DFID Rwanda Country Plan
DFID Indonesia Country Assistance Plan (2008-11)
Environmental Stability: UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
DFID Mozambique Country Assistance Plan
Partnership Programme Arrangements—The Way Ahead
Departmental Retirement
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the standard retirement age in his Department is; and how many people worked beyond the standard retirement age in each of the last five years. [214125]
Gillian Merron: The Department for International Development (DFID) continues to observe the national default retirement age of 65.
Since the implementation of the Employment Equality (age) Regulations in October 2006, six requests to work beyond the default retirement age have been approved. Line managers are advised by the human resources department of staff approaching 65 years of age in time to implement the right to request procedure. To date no requests have been denied.
The number of staff working beyond the retirement age in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:
| Number of staff working beyond retirement age | |
Records are not held centrally of staff appointed in country in our overseas offices who work beyond the age of 65 as they are subject to local rather than UK law on retirement age.
The impact of the age regulations continue to be monitored, particularly the right to request working beyond the age of 65, in preparation for the review planned for 2011.
Departmental Training
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on training courses for staff in the last (a) 12 months and (b) five years. [210568]
Mr. Malik: It is not possible, without incurring disproportionate costs, to provide the amount spent on training courses by the Department for International Development (DFID) in the last 12 months, and previous five years.
Sub-departments and overseas offices within DFID are responsible for arranging and financing staff training. Information on the amount spent on training courses is not held centrally.
Developing Countries: Agriculture
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the objectives are of the programme being jointly funded by his Department and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council on sustainable agriculture research for international development; how much his Department will contribute to this programme in 2008-09; and what percentage of that expenditure will be on administration. [220520]
Mr. Thomas:
The objective of the Programme on Sustainable Agriculture Research for International Development (SARID) is to produce and apply new scientific knowledge and understanding to increase agricultural productivity and food security, thus improving the lives of poor people in Africa and Asia. SARID was
developed through a strategic partnership between the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). DFID is currently contributing £5 million and BBSRC £2.5 million over five years under SARID to fund 12 research grants in crop science. These grants were announced in January 2008 and the predicted total spend for 2008-09 is £1,706,390. The administration of the Programme is handled by BBSRC but funded from the DFID contribution. Administrative costs are currently estimated to be £108,898 for the whole five year Programme, which is 1.45 per cent., of the total budget or 2.18 per cent., of the DFID contribution.
Developing Countries: Climate Change
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what budget his Department has allocated for each of the two programmes being designed in co-operation with Canada’s International Development Research Centre to help with climate change in poor countries in Asia and Latin America. [220495]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) is funding a design phase for the Climate Change Adaptation programme in Asia and Latin America. The planned level of contribution to the implementation phase of this programme is up to £50 million.
Developing Countries: Economic Growth
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of economic growth in (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan, (c) the Democratic Republic of Congo and (d) Mozambique in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [213337]
Gillian Merron: The information is as follows:
It is estimated that Mozambique will experience 7 per cent. real gross domestic product (GDP) growth per annum (2008-10).
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections estimate that real GDP growth will be 9 per cent. in 2009-10 and 8 per cent. in 2010-11. This reflects a gradual decline in investment as a percentage of GDP.
The IMF forecasts real GDP growth in Iraq of 7.5 per cent. in 2009, 10.4 per cent. in 2010, and 9.6 per cent. in 2011. Most of this growth will come from increased oil exports and continued high oil prices. Non-oil growth is expected to have a modest increase, with economic activity picking-up as a result of the reduction in violence.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
In September 2007, the IMF estimated that the percentage increase of gross domestic product for the Democratic Republic of Congo would be 8.3 per cent. in 2009, 8.3 per cent. in 2010 and 8.4 per cent. for 2011.
Developing Countries: Food
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of progress in international efforts to insulate (a) Afghanistan, (b) Ghana, (c) the Gambia and (d) Eritrea from global food and energy price rises; and if he will make a statement. [220775]
Gillian Merron: The UK Government remain deeply concerned about the impact of higher food and energy prices on developing countries including Afghanistan, Ghana, the Gambia and Eritrea. The UK has been working at international level to ensure that effective and coordinated mechanisms are in place to support countries suffering from the impact of the global food and energy price rises.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is helping with balance-of-payments support. The United Nations (UN) High Level Taskforce on the Global Food Crisis has agreed a Comprehensive Framework for Action (CFA). The World Food Programme (WFP) extraordinary emergency appeal is fully funded. At the G8 meeting a $10 billion package for improved food security and agriculture output was agreed.
In Afghanistan the international community is working with the Government to combat the negative welfare impacts of these price increases. The first humanitarian appeal of £38 million was fully met. Support to food production through voucher schemes, rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure, and the setting up of a safety nets programme are in process. A DFID Afghanistan humanitarian assessment is under way and will report by the end of August.
In Ghana, the World Food Programme (WFP) is leading a Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment which will measure the level of food and livelihoods security, and assess changes in nutrition.
At the request of the Gambian Government, an inter-agency team have conducted an assessment mission and are preparing a framework for international support to reduce the adverse effects of soaring food prices.
Eritrea has received just under £500,000 to finance agricultural provisions under the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The Government of Eritrea do not permit relief agencies to distribute food aid. DFID experts will visit Eritrea this month to look at the humanitarian situation.
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