9 CROSS-WHITEHALL WORKING ON
HIV/AIDS
87. In our 2008 Report we stressed that:
If Millennium Development Goal 6 is to be achieved
by 2015, and universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS by 2010,
tackling HIV/AIDS in all high-prevalence countries needs to be
given a higher priority. Several of these are middle-income countries
(MICs), including in southern Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.[146]
We noted that the Strategy envisaged that the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office would take on an enhanced role in tackling
HIV/AIDS, particularly in middle-income countries (MICs) where
DFID has a minimal presence. We emphasised that it was "vital"
to ensure that FCO officials were properly equipped to take on
these new responsibilities and invited the Government to share
with us its detailed planning for this cross-departmental work
on HIV/AIDS. [147]
In its response, DFID told us that it was still in discussions
with the FCO about how they could work together to support a more
effective response in middle-income countries, including those
with high-prevalence levels and that a set of criteria was beginning
developed "to select the number of MICs in which the FCO
will focus its efforts on AIDS". The FCO was exploring ways
in which its capacity to work in this area could be strengthened.[148]
88. Alvaro Bermejo stressed that countries such as
China, Brazil, and South Africa were "critical" in trying
to control the global epidemic and that the FCO had a role in
"supporting the case for marginalised and vulnerable groups"
in countries where DFID did not have a presence.[149]
He said that "what we have not seen is a systematic approach
to the issue or any strategy" in this respect.[150]
89. When we pursued this in evidence with the Minister,
he said that the FCO had a "watching brief over the work
on HIV/AIDS" in middle-income countries.[151]
He pointed out that progress on HIV/AIDS activities in middle-income
countries would be a "feature of the biennial reports"
published by DFID.[152]
When we pressed him for examples of effective joint working
with the FCO on HIV/AIDS in middle-income countries without a
DFID presence, we were told about a project in Burma. Whilst this
is interesting work which we applaud, DFID has a staff presence
in Burma and it is not a middle-income country. Nor were we provided
with any information on the resources, training and expertise
which would be provided to the FCO to take on this new task, or
how DFID would contribute to ensuring that the HIV/AIDS Strategy
was implemented effectively in middle-income countries where HIV
and AIDS remain such a significant public health issue.
90. The evidence we received from the Government
has not persuaded us that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
has either the resources or the expertise to take lead responsibility
for HIV/AIDS programmes in middle-income countries where DFID
no longer has a presence. We remain concerned about the lack of
clarity on how the FCO will perform this role. Yet it is in many
middle-income countries that HIV infections are spreading most
rapidly. We recommend that, in response to this Report, the Government
provides us with specific examples of HIV/AIDS programmes which
the FCO is pursuing in high-prevalence middle-income countries,
including those aimed specifically at vulnerable and marginalised
groups, together with the criteria which it has developed for
selecting the countries where it will undertake this work.
Cross-Whitehall Working Group
91. In its response to our Report last year, DFID
told us that the Cross-Whitehall Working Group on tackling AIDS
in the developing world was "the main mechanism" for
cross-departmental work on AIDS and that its terms of reference
were being revised to make explicit its role in monitoring the
commitments made in the AIDS Strategy.[153]
In response to our questions in this year's inquiry about the
Group's activities, the Minister undertook to send us the Group's
terms of reference. These are published with the evidence received
in this inquiry.[154]
The Minister told us that "It is an informal group. It is
a meeting of officials and not ministers". The Group has
no dedicated budget; its costs "which are largely staff time,
are met from existing resources." The core members, in addition
to DFID and the FCO, are the Department for Health and the Home
Office, with other Departments being involved "as required".
The Group meets "up to four times a year". DFID provides
the secretariat.[155]
92. The Monitoring and Evaluation document makes
clear that it is the responsibility of the Cross-Whitehall Working
Group to "monitor the implementation of the UK priorities
for action across DFID and other government departments".[156]
Witnesses considered the Group to be under-resourced and were
concerned that its secretariat was staffed from the AIDS and Reproductive
Health Team in DFID, which has been significantly reduced in numbers
over the last three years. The APPG on AIDS pointed to a possible
lack of transparency and accountability in its work, given that
the Group meets in private and its agendas and minutes are not
published.[157]
When we put this to DFID witnesses, we were told that they
would "be happy to consider " publishing the Group's
meeting papers.[158]
93. We have not been provided with enough evidence
to convince us that the Cross-Whitehall Working Group has sufficient
authority or capacity to act as the main mechanism for monitoring
the implementation of the UK's HIV/AIDS Strategy. Its terms of
reference are vague; it involves officials rather than ministers;
and its administrative support does not appear to be adequate.
One small step which would improve its transparency and accountability
would be to publish the Group's meeting papers. Putting this
information in the public domain may also help to persuade stakeholders
that the Group is taking its monitoring task seriously and that
it is capable of making a meaningful contribution to the biennial
reporting process for the AIDS Strategy.
146 Twelfth Report of Session 2007-08, , HIV/AIDS:
DFID's New Strategy, HC 1068-I, para 36. Millennium Development
Goal 6 is to: combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Target
6a is: by 2015 halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS Back
147
Twelfth Report of Session 2007-08, HIV/AIDS: DFID's New Strategy,
HC 1068-I, para 38 Back
148
First Special Report of Session 2008-09, HIV/AIDS: DFID's New
Strategy: Government Response to the Committee's Twelfth Report
of Session 2007-08, HC 235, p 5 Back
149
Q 9 Back
150
Q 10 Back
151
Q 52 Back
152
Q 53 Back
153
First Special Report of Session 2008-09, HIV/AIDS: DFID's New
Strategy: Government Response to the Committee's Twelfth Report
of Session 2007-08, HC 235, p 5 Back
154
Ev 40 Back
155
Q 42; Ev 40 Back
156
Achieving Universal Access-Monitoring performance and evaluating
impact, p 10 Back
157
Ev 30 Back
158
Q 45 Back
|
