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12 Jun 2009 : Column 1071W—continued
Schools: Parents
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding his Department has allocated towards increasing parental engagement in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) the East of England schools in each year since 1997. [278567]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government are committed to supporting parental engagement. That support can take many forms at a local level such as targeted support and family learning. In the Children's Plan: Progress Report published in December 2008 we outlined further measures to support parents, schools and early years settings in engaging parents as partners in their children's learning—comprising action to support parents and to prioritise parental engagement throughout the education system.
It is important that support for parental engagement is embedded in the day to day work of professionals in schools and early years settings and is established as part of the core business of those organisations.
This means a variety of funding routes should be used to support parental engagement. However, the main initiatives that cover parental engagement in schools are extended services including parent support advisors and family learning interventions.
Because parental engagement is only one element of extended services and decisions are made locally about spending and priorities, it is only possible to give overall Government funding on these programmes for this area. Details of funding for these programmes since their inception is set out in the following table.
International Development
Afghanistan: Overseas Aid
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of his Department's aid programme for Afghanistan is planned to be channelled through (a) the Afghan national government, (b) Afghan regional governments, (c) Afghan non-governmental organisations, (d) international non-governmental organisations and (e) provincial reconstruction teams in 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. [278643]
Mr. Michael Foster: The approximate planned allocations for 2009-10 are 59 per cent. through the Afghan National Government; 8 per cent. through Afghan non-governmental organisations; 24 per cent. through international non-governmental organisations; and 7 per cent. through the provincial reconstruction teams. The Department for International Development (DFID) does not pass funding directly through provincial governments.
Most of our development assistance provided to the Afghan National Government goes through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), which is managed by the World Bank. Its systems are audited by PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The ARTF reimburses the Afghan Government only upon proof of legitimate expenditure.
Departmental Billing
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average number of days taken to pay an invoice by (a) his Department and (b) each of its executive agencies was in each month since November 2008. [279522]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: As of 12 June 2009, the average number of days taken by the Department for International Development (DFID), to pay an invoice in each month since November 2008 is shown in the following table:
| Date | Number of invoices | Average number of days to make payment |
DFID has no executive agencies.
Overseas Aid
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answers of 5 June 2008, Official Report, column 1131W, on overseas aid, and 24 March 2009, Official Report, column 265W, on sub-Saharan Africa: malaria, for what reasons data on the levels of demand for bed nets are no longer available by country. [278613]
Mr. Michael Foster: Data on levels of actual demand, at community level, by country are not available. The wording of earlier answers did not make a clear distinction between this and demand levels for procurement purposes.
As stated in the answer of 24 March 2009, Official Report , column 265W, the World Malaria Report, issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in September 2008 (which can be found at http://www.who.int/malaria/wmr2008/malaria2008.pdf) includes detailed data on levels of bed-net ownership, usage and coverage by country.
For procurement purposes, the demand for insecticide treated bed nets is estimated using routine epidemiological and population data collected by national malaria control programmes. However, data on demand at community level are not routinely collected and to do so would be impractical given the financial and human resource constraints available in poorer developing countries.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has received requests from the Zimbabwean government for financial support; and what the Government's policy on such support is. [278633]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Inclusive Government of Zimbabwe has made a number of formal and informal requests for financial support to its international partners, including the UK.
The UK has committed an additional £15 million for humanitarian and other essential budget priorities including health, water and sanitation and agricultural inputs. Some of this support will be used for additional technical assistance to help the new Government address priorities for reform. At present, none of this support is channelled through Government systems.
The UK Government are entirely committed to supporting the people of Zimbabwe on the path towards reform. As I said on 23 April when announcing our additional support:
“The creation of a more inclusive government represents a real opportunity for much needed change. We welcome efforts by the new Government to deliver economic, social and political reform. Credible progress will attract increasing support from donors and other partners to tackle the root causes of Zimbabwe's problems.”
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received of the level of the budget deficit of the Zimbabwean government in the current financial year; and what recent discussions he has had with the Zimbabwean government on its financial position. [278634]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: According to a report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following its March 2009 Article IV mission to Zimbabwe, the Inclusive Government has made significant progress in stabilising a very difficult economic situation. The report also pointed to a potential budget deficit of around $200 million in 2009.
The UK Government have been at the forefront of efforts by the international community to monitor and respond to the financial and technical needs of the Inclusive Government during this difficult transition period. Following discussions with the Zimbabwean Minister of Finance, I announced in April this year a £15 million package of UK support for key government priorities, including assistance to health systems, water and sanitation and smallholder farming. At present, none of this support is channelled through Government systems.
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