| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
10 Dec 2008 : Column 188W—continued
International Development
CDC
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department takes to ensure that investments abroad through (a) CDC Group and (b) other bodies do not engage with offshore tax regimes that are designated as harmful by the EU Code of Conduct. [240328]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) has set an Investment Policy for CDC—recently renewed in November 2008—which dictates where and in what the company may invest. In accordance with advice from Her Majesty's Treasury, the policy requires that, when CDC invests in intermediary companies for fiscal, regulatory or other reasons, it should seek to avoid those jurisdictions listed as unco-operative tax havens by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development or tax regimes listed as harmful under the European Union Code of Conduct for Business Taxation.
DFID does not make investments abroad through any other bodies.
Departmental Official Hospitality
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what records his Department maintains of its expenditure on (a) official hospitality and (b) alcohol for official hospitality. [240467]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Hospitality expenditure is processed through the Department for International Development's (DFID) financial systems, recording budget authoriser, date, accounting period, department and identifying costs against the chart of accounts.
Beverage costs (including alcohol) are not accounted for as separate items.
Departmental Rail Travel
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. [242603]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Secretary of State last used a train in the course of his official duties on 28 November 2008.
Departmental Research
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department’s estimated change in expenditure on departmental research will be over the next (a) year, (b) two years and (c) five years; and what areas of research will be targeted. [241528]
Mr. Michael Foster: The forecasted expenditure on centrally managed research is £134 million this financial year (2008-09) rising to £181 million next year (2009-10) and £220 million in 2010-11 through to 2013-14.
The areas of focus for the Department for International Development’s (DFID) research is set out in the DFID Research Strategy 2008-13 published in April this year. The six theme areas are health, sustainable agriculture, growth, climate change, governance in challenging environments and future challenges and opportunities.
A link to the DFID Research Strategy is as follows:
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department takes to ensure that relevant research informs its policy making. [241530]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) works closely with research programmes and draws on appropriate evidence and knowledge as it becomes available. DFID has recently re-organised the management of research so that research teams work directly with policy teams. There will also be a much enlarged policy and research communication team, which will include a new team on research uptake. The mandate of this team is to ensure that processes are in place that enhance access to and use of research. This includes:
(i) Knowledge Brokers whose mandate is to sign-post policy advisers with relevant research information;
(ii) A new synthesis function, to systematically review relevant research in a defined policy area;
(iii) Management of a range of research communication programmes that make research more accessible (for example, through policy briefs, short research summaries, better reporting of research findings in the media); and
(iv) Introduction of Senior Research Fellows who will provide scientific leadership and enhance the relevance of research in policy and practice.
Further information on DFID research is available through the central portal at:
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he will reply to the letter to him of 3 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. S Choudhry. [241695]
Mr. Michael Foster: A reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton has been issued.
Overseas Aid
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his departmental budget (a) bilateral and (b) unilateral aid will contribute over the next (i) year, (ii) two years and (iii) five years. [241905]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Full details of the Department for International Development's (DFID) planned programme allocation for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11 are set out in table 4 of annex 2 of the 2008 DFID annual report, “Development: Making it Happen”. Summary totals are reproduced in the following table.
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | ||
Zimbabwe: Cholera
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes he plans to make to his Department’s development assistance to Zimbabwe in response to the cholera outbreak; and if he will make a statement. [242793]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: We are responding to the cholera outbreak and wider crisis in the health service in Zimbabwe with a £10 million package of assistance. This is part of an overall aid programme this financial year worth £47 million, of which £9 million has been given for food aid. Since the beginning of the financial year, our total programme in Zimbabwe has been increased by nearly 20 per cent., from a baseline budget of £40 million, making it the largest ever British aid programme to Zimbabwe.
In addition to our emergency response, we continue to give life saving support to people affected by HIV and AIDS, and are helping thousands of small farmers to increase their food production through the supply of seeds and fertilizer and the introduction of improved farming methods. None of our aid goes through government, but is all channelled through the United Nations (UN) and non-governmental organisation (NGOs).
Zimbabwe: Overseas Aid
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution the Government is making in terms of (a) resources and (b) personnel to the World Health Organisation’s efforts to respond to the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement. [240848]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) is providing a £10 million package of support to respond to the cholera outbreak and the collapse of health services in Zimbabwe. The cholera has killed hundreds of people and hospitalised several thousands more.
As part of this package we are strengthening the capacity of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to strengthen its capacity to co-ordinate the cholera response, and ensure timely surveillance and effective health information systems to track and respond to new cholera cases.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the £3 million in aid for Zimbabwe he announced on 26 November is to be spent; and if he will make a statement. [241260]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The collapse of the water and sanitation system in Zimbabwe has resulted in the worst cholera epidemic in the country’s history and has already led to thousands of cases and several hundred deaths. Fatality rates are high because of the collapse of the health system.
The additional £3 million funding will be disbursed through the United Nations (UN) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The Department for International Development's funding will help provide life-saving health services and safe drinking water in the areas worst hit, better co-ordination, surveillance, and hygiene education. These additional funds will also help prevent and respond to other epidemics should they occur in the coming months.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of his Department’s aid to Zimbabwe in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 was used, or is intended to be used, for water and sanitation projects. [241262]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided both emergency and longer-term support for water, sanitation and hygiene in Zimbabwe over the past three years. This has been mainly through direct contributions to UNICEF for emergency disease preparedness programmes (including cholera) and also through the DFID Protracted Relief Programme (PRP) which seeks to provide longer-term sustainable solutions to supplying potable water. In 2007-08 a total of £700,000 was channelled through NGO partners under the PRP and a contribution of £1 million was made through UNICEF for disease preparedness. This year (2008-09) £1.9 million was channelled through NGOs for a strengthened response to access to clean water and participatory health and hygiene education.
Treasury
Climate Change
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of its capacity to adapt to climate change; and what plans he has to publish a climate change adaptation strategy. [241188]
Angela Eagle: The cross-Government Adapting to Climate Change Programme increases Government’s capacity to adapt by ensuring a coordinated approach across all Departments and the public sector. This includes implementation of the adaptation aspects of the Climate Change Act, such as development of the national climate risk assessment. Information about the programme can be found at
The Treasury is working with other Departments to enhance the Government’s capacity to adapt by, for example, reviewing its appraisal guidance (the Green Book) to ensure that policy and investment decisions incorporate adaptation.
Debt
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the collectable balance of outstanding debt was on (a) 30 April 2007 and (b) 31 October 2008. [241095]
Ian Pearson: HM Revenue and Customs calculates its debt balance as at 31 March each year and includes the relevant figures in the Trust Statement which form part of it’s published accounts.
The accounts for 2007-08 (HC 674) which include the debt balances as at 31 March 2007 and 31 March 2008 were published on 14 July 2008. Copies of the accounts are available on the HMRC website at:
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in workforce levels on collection of outstanding debts in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008. [241096]
Ian Pearson: HM Revenue and Customs has no evidence of a direct correlation between recent changes in its debt management work force levels and the collection of outstanding debt.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008, Official Report, columns 336-37W, on IP addresses, which Departments use the Government Secure Intranet; and for what purposes. [241554]
Angela Eagle: The GSi forms part of Critical National Infrastructure, and as such, detailed customer information is not made publicly available.
Departmental Official Hospitality
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what records his Department maintains of its expenditure on (a) official hospitality and (b) alcohol for official hospitality. [240462]
Angela Eagle:
The Department maintains a record of total spending on official hospitality in its general ledger. For the recording of alcohol spending I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the former Financial Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey) on
20 June 2006, Official Report, column 1855W. All expenditure, including that on hospitality, has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Economic and Monetary Union
Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the recent assessment of the UK’s performance against the five economic tests for joining the euro. [240963]
Ian Pearson: The Chancellor announced in Budget 2008 that,
“the Government do not propose a euro assessment to be initiated at the time of this budget.”
The Treasury will again review the situation at Budget time next year as required by the Chancellor’s June 2003 statement.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |