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10 Mar 2009 : Column 330W—continued

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which projects will receive funding from the £30 million allocated by his Department for reconstruction work in Gaza. [261898]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The objective of the Department for International Development’s (DFID) support for the first phase of reconstruction, known as ‘early recovery’, is to help the most vulnerable people in Gaza rebuild their lives. We are currently assessing the best channels for such support. Options include assistance through the UN, the World Bank, the European Commission and non-governmental organisations. Our funding will help ensure delivery of basic services. As a first step, there is a need for large scale removal of rubble across Gaza. We have therefore allocated £443,000 to the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) to clear unexploded ordnance from these sites.

A full breakdown of DFID’s funding for Gaza can be found on the DFID website:

Public Opinion

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what expenditure has been incurred by the (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental bodies in each year since 1997 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; if he will list the surveys commissioned; and what the purpose was of each. [261175]

Mr. Thomas: (a) Details of DFID's expenditure on opinion polling and focus groups in each complete financial year since 1997 are outlined in the following table. (iii) DFID may have commissioned other forms of market research as part of its development programme, however these costs are not held centrally and it would incur disproportionate cost to obtain them. Figures for 2008-09 are not yet available.


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Focus groups Cost (£) Opinion polls Cost (£)

1997-98

OLR Baseline Study to explore existing attitudes to, and perceptions of Britain's international development programme

43,000

1998-99

1999-2000

ONS poll to monitor the opinion of the UK adult population to inform development education.

28,200

MORI poll to monitor the opinion of UK schoolchildren to inform and monitor impact of development education work.

14,700

Readership survey of “Developments” magazine, in order to test its impact and reach.

1,804

2000-01

ONS poll to monitor the opinion of the UK adult population on international development to inform, and monitor the impact of, our work on development awareness and education.

33,000

MORI poll to monitor the opinion of UK schoolchildren to inform and monitor impact of development education work.

14,629

2001-02

ONS poll to monitor the opinion of the UK adult population on international development used to inform, and monitor the impact of, our work on development awareness and education.

34,300

MORI poll to monitor the opinion of UK schoolchildren to inform and monitor impact of development education work.

11,515

2002-03

OLR focus group to analyse public understanding of international news stories.

38,427

ONS poll to monitor the opinion of the UK adult population on international development used to inform, and monitor the impact of, our work on development awareness and education.

31,880

MORI poll to monitor the opinion of UK schoolchildren to inform and monitor impact of development education work.

11,515

2003-04

OLR focus group research to explore ways of increasing understanding and support for international development in the UK.

50,309

ONS poll to monitor the opinion of the UK adult population on international development used to inform, and monitor the impact of, our work on development awareness and education.

32,990

MORI poll to monitor the opinion of UK schoolchildren to inform and monitor impact of development education work.

12,220

2004-05

ONS poll to monitor the opinion of the UK adult population on international development used to inform, and monitor the impact of, our work on development awareness and education.

32,990

MORI poll to monitor the opinion of UK schoolchildren to inform and monitor impact of development education work.

12,220

2005-06

ONS poll to monitor the opinion of the UK adult population on international development used to inform, and monitor the impact of, our work on development awareness and education.

41,766

MORI poll to monitor the opinion of UK schoolchildren to inform and monitor impact of development education work.

14,776

2006-07

ONS poll to monitor the opinion of the UK adult population on international development used to inform, and monitor the impact of, our work on development awareness and education.

37,740

MORI poll to monitor the opinion of UK schoolchildren to inform and monitor impact of development education work.

18,971

2007-08

Solutions Strategy Research. Qualitative research aimed at getting public opinions on ethical shopping, and the benefits it can bring to developing countries to inform, direct, and provide a factual basis for communications activity.

19,600

2007-08

Taylor Nelson Sofres RSGB questions on omnibus survey to provide interim measure on concern about global poverty among UK adults to inform, direct, and provide a solid factual basis for communications on the work of DFID on fighting global poverty.

5,940

2007-08

Taylor Nelson Sofres annual attitudinal tracking survey into public perceptions of global poverty to inform, direct, and provide a factual basis for communications on the work of DFID on fighting global poverty.

47,500

2007-08

ICM quantitative research survey to measure UK adults' interest in shopping ethically and the benefits that it can bring to developing countries to direct, inform, and provide a factual basis for communications activity.

8,844

2007-08

Creative Research. Qualitative stage of audience segmentation research to inform, direct, and provide a factual basis for communications the work of DFID.

52,895.62

2007-08

Taylor Nelson Sofres RSGB Quantitative research (questions on omnibus survey) to measure UK adults' interest in shopping ethically and the benefits that it can bring to developing countries.

7,400

2007-08

Ipsos Mori. Quantitative Stage of Audience Segmentation research, to inform, direct, and provide a factual basis for communications on the work of DFID.

137,818

2007-08

GfK NOP annual survey of young people's attitudes towards global poverty and development issues to inform, direct, and provide a factual basis for communications on the work of DFID.

23,745


(b) DFID has no agencies

(c) DFID has one non-departmental public body, the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission. The Commission has incurred no expenditure on opinion polling, focus groups or other forms of market research since 1997.

St Helena: Airports

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received on the proposed construction of an airport on St. Helena; and if he will make a statement. [262300]

Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) has received a number of letters from Members of Parliament and other interested parties about the proposal to construct an airport on St. Helena. On 9 February, the Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Foster), met the Governor of St. Helena on the issue. He has also met with representatives from the bidding company, Impregilo SpA, on 10 February and from SHELCO (St. Helena Leisure Corporation Ltd) on 2 March.

Sudan: Internally Displaced Persons

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent reports he has received on the number of people displaced from Abyei in Sudan in May and December 2008 who have returned to their homes. [260763]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Fighting in May 2008 displaced approximately 55,000 people from Abyei town and surrounding areas from a total population of some 100,000. Up to 10,000 people displaced by fighting in May returned to Abyei after the signing of the Road
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Map peace agreement in June 2008. However, the majority were later displaced again by fighting in December and the latest reports from the UN indicate that the population of Abyei and surrounding areas is now fewer than 50,000, not including nomadic populations. Of these, most are living in displaced camps in Agok. Ongoing security concerns and very weak basic civil administration are the main barriers to returns.

The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided £3 million for water, sanitation, health care and basic household items for the displaced in Abyei through the UN’s Common Humanitarian Fund. DFID is also providing some £6.2 million in support of the Abyei administration, police and education.

Women and Equality

Women in the Church

5. Ms Keeble: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with the Second Church Estates Commissioner on the employment of women in the church. [261698]

Maria Eagle: I have had no discussions with the Second Church Estates Commissioner on this matter. Issues such as the roles of women in the Church of England are a matter for the Church itself.

Domestic Violence

6. Julie Morgan: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will commission research to examine whether there is a relationship between major sporting events and levels of domestic violence. [261699]

Maria Eagle: I am aware of the interesting research undertaken by Cardiff university’s Professor Jonathan Shepherd indicating a link between large-scale sporting events, alcohol consumption and domestic violence. The Government have no plans to commission additional research at this time.

I applaud the recent launch of the Wales tackles domestic abuse campaign to coincide with the Six Nations Championships. It echoes our message that violence against women and girls is unacceptable whatever the context and whatever the circumstances.

Equality Bill

7. Mr. Sharma: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what provision she plans to make in the Equality Bill for the use of positive action to redress inequalities at work. [261700]

Maria Eagle: The Equality Bill will broaden the range of voluntary positive action measures which can be taken by employers or service providers to the full extent allowed by European law.

For example, employers will, in some circumstances, be able to take under-representation or disadvantage into account when selecting for appointment or promotion between two or more equally suitable candidates, if they choose to do so.

The new provisions will be backed by comprehensive and authoritative guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.


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