Written Answers to Questions
Friday 5 March 2010
Scotland
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time equivalent staff of each grade are employed by his Department to assist special advisers. [321142]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office does not maintain records of the administrative time provided to special advisers and therefore is unable to identify the full-time equivalent figure. However, no staff are solely dedicated to supporting special advisers.
International Development
Democratic Republic of Congo
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether an environmental impact assessment has been conducted for each (a) current and (b) proposed road building project funded by his Department in Democratic Republic of Congo; how much funding for each such project was allocated to reducing the effect on these projects; and what the percentage of the budget for the environment and local population was in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010. [320086]
Mr. Thomas: All road rehabilitation projects funded by the Department of International Development (DFID) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are subject to Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs). The following amounts have been allocated to address environmental and social impacts of road rehabilitation projects currently funded by DFID:
£12 million, or 15 per cent., of a total contribution of £78 million from 2009 to 2013 for the 'Pro Routes' programme, in partnership with the World Bank.
£476,733, or 13 per cent., of a total contribution of £3.66 million from July 2009 to July 2011 for rehabilitation of roads in eastern DRC, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
£435,949, or 15 per cent., of a total budget of £2.79 million for the same period to rehabilitate a road from Kisangani to Ubundu in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding has been allocated to the Congo rainforest region as part of the £1.5 billion commitment to the fast start global financial package to help developing countries address climate change and its impacts agreed at Copenhagen; and if he will increase the fast-track funding contribution to $800 million per year. [320089]
Mr. Thomas: The Prime Minister has committed up to £1.5 billion in Fast Start finance over the next three financial years from 2010-11 to 2012-13. 20 per cent. of this total will be allocated for forestry, including planned investment in the Congo Basin Forest Fund. We are currently developing plans for 2010-11 and will determine priorities for 2011-12 and 2012-13 as part of the next spending review.
Departmental Paper
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) suppliers and (b) brands of (i) paper and (ii) paper products his Department uses; and what his Department's policy is on the procurement of those materials. [320038]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) uses Office of Government Commerce (OGC) framework contracts for the purchase of all standard paper items such as A4 paper and envelopes in the UK. The majority of products are purchased from Banner Business Services, including general use paper from their Evolve range, which is made from 100 per cent. recycled content. More detailed information on paper products cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
Departmental Temporary Staff
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development from which companies his Department sourced temporary staff in each of the last three years; how many temporary staff his Department employed in each year; and what the monetary value of the contracts with each such company was in each such year. [320016]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has formal arrangements with Margaret Hodge, Josephine Sammons and Manpower to provide temporary staff at the administrative level. In addition, professional and specialist temporary staff can be appointed through specialist suppliers without the involvement of DFID's Human Resources Division. Subsequently, there is no central record of the total number of temporary staff employed or the associated costs for each of the last three years. This information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
Food: Overseas Aid
Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to implement its commitment to agricultural and food security research related to developing countries supported by the UK science base in co-operation with UK research councils. [319936]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) is providing funds for agricultural research to the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). This enables us to harness the UK's world-class bioscience base to address the challenges of agricultural growth and food security in developing countries.
We fund two programmes jointly with BBSRC: a crop science programme, to which DFID contributes £5.34 million; and a livestock disease research programme, to which DFID contributes £9.7 million.
We are exploring a third collaboration with BBSRC into crop science which can help withstand the impact of climate change. DFID is also working with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and other public sector funders to improve coordination of agriculture and food security related research.
Haiti: Earthquakes
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what equipment was used by fire and rescue personnel deployed to Haiti; and if he will make a statement. [320284]
Mr. Michael Foster: The following equipment was used by the UK fire and rescue personnel deployed to Haiti; technical search equipment including cameras, listening devices and dogs; light concrete breaking equipment; hand tools including percussion rescue tool (PRT); chainsaws; lighting and generators; and medical kit including splints, pain relief and stretchers.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has provided to each (a) multi-national organisation and (b) UK non-governmental organisation which it has funded as part of the Haiti relief operation; and if he will make a statement. [320285]
Mr. Michael Foster: Details of funding provided by the Department for International Development (DFID) to non-governmental organisations and multilateral organisations to help the relief operation in Haiti are provided in the following table.
| £ | |
|
Pan-American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) | |
|
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) |
International Assistance
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps he has taken to assess the effectiveness of his Department's international aid. [320058]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) prioritises steps to ensure that all our aid is effective, whether delivered by DFID or through multilateral organisations.
For example we have recently conducted Portfolio Reviews in the Education and Health sectors which have shown that DFID is delivering excellent value. DFID's bilateral aid to the education sector, delivered through Government systems, funds an estimated 5 million children through primary school. This aid is funding more children in developing countries than the number attending primary schools in the UK at just 2 per cent. of the cost. Similar reviews on Governance and Civil Society are currently under way.
Millennium Development Goals
Mr. David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his most recent estimate is of the additional aid required from contributing states in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals. [319953]
Mr. Michael Foster: At the G8 Summit in L'Aquila last year the UK successfully called for an international assessment of what is needed to achieve the MDGs. The needs assessment will take a broad based approach to what is needed to achieve the MDGs, retaining aid as a central component, while also taking account of other issues such as trade, aid effectiveness, climate change and international and domestic policy frameworks. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently undertaking this assessment and is due to produce a report in May.
Rwanda: Politics and Government
Mr. Bruce George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent progress has been made on issues covered by point B.10 of the renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and the Government of Rwanda, with particular reference to the registration of opposition parties in advance of presidential elections in August 2010. [320173]
Mr. Thomas: The UK Government are closely monitoring the progress made on the registration of political parties in Rwanda. Ten political parties are currently registered and a further two parties are attempting to register. The Department for International Development (DFID) is aware that some parties are reporting registration difficulties and we are pressing the Government of Rwanda to ensure that full political rights, within the framework of Rwandan law, are upheld.
Uganda: Armed Conflict
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian assistance his Department has provided to those displaced and otherwise affected by the activities of the Lord's Resistance Army; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure the (a) delivery and (b) security of this assistance. [320343]
Mr. Thomas: In 2009 the Department for International Development (DFID) provided over £100 million for humanitarian assistance to those affected by the activities of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA). Of this, around £70 million was provided through UN Humanitarian Pooled Funds, and the remainder through other UN agencies, NGOs and other partners.
Monitoring and security procedures are built into all DFID programmes as standard. This allows staff to assess the delivery and impact of UK aid, and closely monitor security risks. All UN pooled funds include mechanisms that enable all donors to monitor the delivery and security of assistance.
Work and Pensions
Children: Maintenance
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total value of overpayments made by the Child Support Agency was in each of the last three years. [318741]
Helen Goodman: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total value of overpayments made by the Child Support Agency was in each of the last three years. (318741)
The total value of child maintenance payments overpaid to a parent with care is included in the table below. This includes figures over each of the last three financial years to January 2010.
| £ | |
These figures are for overpayments made by non-resident parents as a result of retrospective changes of circumstances and a consequent downward valuation of maintenance assessments. These recalculations usually occur as an outcome of new information being provided to the agency.
Where an overpayment is made the money is refunded to the non-resident parent.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Child Support Agency's policy is on payment by credit card from individuals in arrears on their maintenance payments. [318742]
Helen Goodman: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Child Support Agency's policy is on payment by credit card from individuals in arrears. [318742]
The Child Support Agency has had the facility to accept credit and debit card payments since the introduction of Regulation 3 of the Child support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2006. This was introduced to provide access to a convenient and widely used method of payment.
The policy is to ensure the best payment agreement is reached with the non-resident parent without jeopardising the flow of regular maintenance payments. It is for the non-resident parent to determine whether it is appropriate to use a credit card to make the payments required by such an agreement.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice is given by the Child Support Agency to people liable for maintenance payments on the use of credit cards to clear their arrears. [318745]
Helen Goodman: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
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