donor alignment behind country strategies and plans, and use of country procurement and public financial management systems (where risks are covered), building the country's capacity to lead and manage their own development;
well-functioning systems for results and performance accountability.
The project is run by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Government of Bangladesh and is funded by UNDP, UK, Australia and Denmark, with some staff resources and offices provided by the Government of Bangladesh.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes she expects from her Crown Agents Procurement Core Country Agreement; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123555]
Mr Duncan: Through the Core Country Agreement, Crown Agents, on behalf of DFID, carries out procurement of a diverse range of goods and equipment for our development programme in Bangladesh, using rigorous competitive processes which follow best international practice and deliver excellent value for money. Crown Agents was awarded the contract following an international competition using the EU procurement directives process. The current contract is due to end in March 2013.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her Transparency International Bangladesh project; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123556]
Mr Duncan: Between 2003 and 2008, the project supported Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) to generate evidence to inform a public debate on corruption in Bangladesh, and increase transparency and accountability in the public, non-profit and private sectors.
TIB is a strong civil society organisation that consistently challenges the Government on issues of corruption and lack of accountability. TIB is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) registered in Bangladesh and is the Bangladesh chapter of NGO Transparency International.
TIB has campaigned for the promotion and development of institutions, laws and practices to combat corruption. A public information campaign made headline news of corruption issues and made more people aware of their
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rights and responsibilities and how to raise their voice against poor services and lack of accountability. At the local level, TIB supported committees of concerned citizens in 34 of the 64 districts in Bangladesh. The committees stopped payment of unauthorised fees; increased the distribution of school books; improved attendance of teachers in schools; and improved the distribution of safety net payments.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes she expects from the Bangladesh Policy Fund; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123557]
Mr Duncan: The Bangladesh Policy Fund helps to strengthen the evidence base for policy issues in Bangladesh which DFID can influence as well as piloting ways to turn these policies into outcomes for poor people. An example of results generated by the Bangladesh Policy Fund can be seen through its support of the Food Security Policy Forum. This forum led to a change to Government of Bangladesh (GoB) policy, in that nutrition was prioritised within the GoB's focus on food security.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her Humanitarian Assistance for Bangladesh programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123558]
Mr Duncan: The UK's Humanitarian Assistance for Bangladesh programme (2008-11) provided emergency relief to families affected by Cyclone Aila. More than 50,200 households received shelter support, 14,000 families had more access to food, and 4,000 families could access safer drinking water: The programme was implemented by the International Organisation for Migration, the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF and the World Food Programme. Access to the most remote areas was facilitated with core support to the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF).
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her Bangladesh Sanglap II project; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123559]
Mr Duncan: Bangladesh Sanglap II project provided opportunities for Bangladeshi people to interact with and ask questions to policy and decision-makers on key governance issues, through TV and radio programmes that reached 25.06 million viewers and listeners, well exceeding its target of 3 million. The project provided one of the first opportunities for Bangladeshi citizens to ask questions of elected officials on television or radio.
The project was implemented by the BBC World Service Trust between September 2006 and October 2010.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes she expects from her Department's Joint Technical Assistance Programme with the World Bank; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123560]
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Mr Duncan: The Joint Technical Assistance Programme is designed to generate detailed analytical work and policy dialogue on key economic and governance issues, to strengthen the evidence base upon which to base policy making in Bangladesh.
The project is implemented by the World Bank, which commissions research by local and international experts on issues as agreed between the World Bank and DFID, in consultation with local Bangladeshi partners.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the outcomes of the Joint UN Accelerating Progress towards Maternal and Neonatal Mortality and Morbidity Reduction Project; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123561]
Mr Duncan: During the project period (July 2007 to June 2012) the quality of maternal and new-born services has been improved in four remote districts of Bangladesh. The use of antenatal care increased from 33.6% to 70%, while the percentage of skilled attendance at birth increased from 20% to 50%.
The project was support by DFID and the European Commission, and was implemented by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, United Nations Children's Fund and the World Health Organisation.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her Department's Maternal, Neonatal and Child Survival Project with the Science and Research Advisory Committee; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123562]
Mr Duncan: During its project period (January 2009 to June 2012) the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Survival Project assisted 145,000 poor rural women with skilled attendants during delivery. Additionally, 390,000 new-borns were breastfed within one hour of birth.
The project was implemented by BRAC (previously known as Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) and the United Nations Children's Fund with support from the Department for International Development, Australian Aid and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes she expects from her Tax Administration—Compliance and Taxpayer Services Programme; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh [123563]
Mr Duncan: By June 2015, the Tax Administration Capacity and Taxpayers Services (TACTS) project is expected to have improved the quality of tax administration and contributed to the addition of 1 million new registered taxpayers, and 25% per annum growth in revenue collection.
TACTS is implemented by the firm PricewaterhouseCoopers India, working closely with Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of (a) the outcomes of the United Nations Development Programme Early Recovery Action Plan and (b) how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123564]
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Mr Duncan: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Early Recovery Action Plan was supported by the UK from 2008-09, helping communities to recover after Cyclone Sidr. UK support helped rebuild more than 13,000 houses for some of the hardest hit families. The programme was implemented by UNDP in close coordination with the Bangladesh Ministry of Food and Disaster Management.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes she expects from her Shelter, Sanitation and Resilience, Bangladesh programme; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123565]
Mr Duncan: By early 2013, the Shelter, Sanitation Recovery and Resilience programme will have helped more than 11,000 families in the Satkhira district of Bangladesh to replace homes and sanitation facilities destroyed by persistent waterlogging. The new shelters and latrines are built to withstand future flooding so people can protect themselves, their animals and their belongings from dangerous flood waters.
This support is delivered by the NARRI consortium of non-governmental organisations (the National Alliance for Response and Risk Reduction Initiative: Oxfam (lead agency), Action Aid, CARE, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, and Solidarités).
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes she expects from her Katalyst Phase II project; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123566]
Mr Duncan: By the end of 2013, Katalyst Phase II is expected to have contributed to accumulated net income increase of US$280 million for 2.3 million farmers and small businesses.
Katalyst is implemented by a Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation called 'Swisscontact' in partnership with the Swiss and Canadian Government Development Agencies (SDC and CIDA) and the Netherlands Government.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her Urban Primary Health Care Project 2; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123567]
Mr Duncan: The Urban Primary Health Care Project provided more than 8 million Bangladeshis with out-patient services, 3.6 million with family planning services, and more than 7 million children with immunisations.
The project was implemented by the Bangladesh local government and non-governmental organisations. The project was supported by:
DFID;
Asian Development Bank;
Swedish International Development Agency;
United Nations Fund for Population Activities; and
Orbis International.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her Education for Children with Disabilities programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123705]
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Mr Duncan: The project on Promoting Rights and Access to Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities in Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh was implemented by Leonard Cheshire Disability (United Kingdom) and the Centre for Disability in Development (Bangladesh). The project started in July 2008 and was completed in December 2011.
The project was evaluated in 2012 and was assessed as having achieved most of its objectives, albeit the evaluation noted that the Government of Bangladesh would need further encouragement to help more disabled children attend mainstream schools. Project successes included:
providing mobility devices for children;
training for 37 instructors from the Primary Teachers Training Institute;
2,430 disabled children enrolled in mainstream schools;
2,364 disabled children retained in mainstream schools which represents 80% of children with disabilities in the project catchment area of which 99% were continuing with their education at the end of the project term;
support to the Government of Bangladesh to implement their policy on helping disabled children attend mainstream schools as part of the National Education Programme.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her Access to Information for Greater Participation and Government Accessibility project; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123706]
Mr Duncan: The Access to Information for Greater Participation and Government Accessibility project was funded through the Civil Society Challenge Fund. It was managed by Article 19, an organisation that defends the right to freedom of expression, and implemented by Mass Line Media Centre, Shuprashashoner Jonno Pracharavijan, and the Bangladesh News Network for Radio Communication. The project aimed to increase accountability between the Government and poor people for more inclusive policy-making where the policy is relevant to the poor. It was implemented from March 2007 to August 2010 nationally and with a particular focus on 12 districts.
An independent evaluation found that the project had made a “far-reaching” contribution to the enactment and implementation of the Right to Information Act 2009 in Bangladesh. The project provided the Government with technical assistance while the Act was being drafted. The project trained 200 Government officials in their duties under the Act. It assisted 52,000 people to understand their rights and entitlements. This meant, for example, communities were able to ask for and receive information on the selection criteria for cyclone relief and rehabilitation assistance.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her project to provide support to the International Centre for Diarrhoea Disease Research, Bangladesh for swine flu; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123707]
Mr Duncan: DFID supported the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh to set up a surveillance system and treatment unit in 2009 for patients with influenza symptoms and illness. This was in response to concern raised by the World Health Organisation about a potential pandemic.
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A dedicated treatment unit was rapidly established and medical and paramedical professionals were provided with training and information. A total of 2,208 patients were screened, out of which 14 were found positive with swine flu. Regular updates were provided to the Government of Bangladesh during the crisis period, and the surveillance system continues to assist Bangladesh to respond rapidly to future outbreaks.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of her Safe Motherhood in Rural Communities project; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123708]
Mr Duncan: The project on Safe Motherhood in Rural Communities in 23 districts in north-west Bangladesh was implemented by Lamb Health Care Foundation (United Kingdom) and Lamb Project (Bangladesh). The project started on 1 April 2006 and finished on 30 June 2009.
The project implemented a health-care and development system benefitting approximately 600,000 people in 23 districts including:
450 home/community Village Health Volunteers trained;
support to 21 local clinics, including 16 Safe Child Delivery Units, with 180 Community Health Workers in all 23 districts;
family planning counselling to hospitals;
a subsidy for 1,400 poor patients to be treated at the hospital without fees over three years;
better community-based care for disabled children reaching 369 children (201 boys, 168 girls) during the project period;
a reduction in maternal mortality in the project areas of 40% and a reduction in peri-natal mortality by 11%;
Lamb Health Care Foundation (United Kingdom) made contributions to a Word Health Organisation (WHO) manual on Perinatal and Maternal Death Audit.
The project evaluation undertaken in December 2009 concluded that the project had fully achieved its objectives and that the work undertaken should be sustained after the project end-date. The project partner is continuing to work with the Government of Bangladesh to ensure this.
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of the Community Based Microfinance Initiative; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123709]
Mr Duncan: The project “Promoting economic development of the poor through community based microfinance initiatives in Bangladesh” was funded through the Civil Society Challenge Fund. The project was implemented by the Credit and Development Forum (CDF) across nine districts and aimed to improve access to commercial banking services for community based organisations (CBOs) and very poor people. The project started in April 2006 and was completed in March 2010.
The project worked with 25 community organisations to provide microfinance services for their members. These organisations provided small-scale finance to establish income-generating activities for 32,000 poor households. The increased income that was generated has allowed those households to invest in improved family health care, education and housing.
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Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department has taken to implement the conclusions of the Strategic Programme Review in Bangladesh; and if she will make a statement. [123943]
Mr Duncan: The Strategic Programme Review is a continuing process to ensure that DFID staff, partners, and programmes are fully prepared to meet the challenge of climate change. In Bangladesh, the DFID office has reduced carbon emissions by 16% since 2009-10 (well on track towards a target of 25% by 2014-15). Staff have developed the knowledge and skills to ensure all programmes are effectively designed and implemented to minimise climate impacts and help build resilience in Bangladesh.
Programmes are being designed to be more resilient to climate change impacts—for example, primary schools in vulnerable areas of Bangladesh are being built to double as cyclone shelters.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessments are made when setting the salaries of Bangladeshi nationals employed by her Department in Bangladesh. [123944]
Mr Duncan: Her Majesty's Treasury (HMT) Delegation states that DFlD's Staff Appointed In Country (SAIC) must be paid according to the local market. Overseas offices, therefore, undertake fundamental pay reviews to ensure that they are paying comparable wages to staff working for other local employers doing similar work. The last fundamental pay review for DFID Bangladesh, conducted jointly with the Foreign Office, was in 2010. The subsequent pay review is due to be completed by December 2012.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate she has made of the planned operational costs for her Department in Bangladesh; and if she will make a statement. [123945]
Mr Duncan: The operational plan (2011-15) sets out an allocation of £1 billion over the period. Current forecasts show expenditure is anticipated to be £988 million.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will publish the full list of contractors and subcontractors used in the delivery of each operational project being undertaken in Bangladesh; and if she will make a statement. [123946]
Mr Duncan: The following is a list of current DFID Bangladesh projects delivered by private sector contractors. The DFID Bangladesh programme is delivered in its entirety through a range of partners including non-governmental organisations, multilateral institutions, as well as contractors. The list of subcontractors for each project is not available on the DFID system and would need to be sought separately from each programme.
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Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of the Health, Nutrition and Population Sector programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123950]
Mr Duncan: The Health, Nutrition and Population Sector programme (July 2004 to June 2011) reduced maternal deaths from 322 to 194 per 100,000 live births. Skilled birth attendance among the poorest increased from 3.4% to 9.2%. Deaths among children under the age of five reduced from 88 to 52 per 1,000 live births. Tuberculosis cure rate increased from 83.7% to 91%.
The project was implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with support from 20 development partners including the Department for International Development and the World Bank.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes she expects from the Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction programme; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123951]
Mr Duncan: The Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction programme (2007 to 2014) will contribute to the development of a National Urban Poverty Reduction Strategy and encourage the local governments to take more responsibility for the urban poor. The outcomes of the programme include improved living conditions and livelihoods for 3 million slum dwellers in Bangladesh, including improved nutrition and access to safe drinking water and sanitation. It also provides skill-based training to youth, linking them to employment opportunities.
The programme is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme through the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes are expected from the Regulatory and Investment Systems for Enterprise programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123979]
Mr Duncan: By 2015, the Regulatory and Investment System for Enterprise programme will contribute to £115 million of savings to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Bangladesh that employ 80% of the labour force. The programme also aims to generate more than £900 million of foreign direct investment resulting in the creation of high-quality, formal jobs for the poor.
The programme is implemented in partnership with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what outcomes were achieved by the Chars Livelihoods Programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh; [123981]
(2) what outcomes she expects from the Chars Livelihoods Programme 2; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123953]
Mr Duncan: The Chars Livelihoods Programme—phase 1 (2006-10) helped improve the livelihoods, incomes and food security of 1 million extremely poor and vulnerable people living on the flood-prone remote Char islands of north-western Bangladesh. About 100,000 families were protected from flooding through raised plinths, and about 50,000 poor families are better able to feed their families.
The Chars Livelihoods Programme—phase 2 (2010-16) will help improve the livelihoods, incomes and food security of up to 1 million extremely poor and vulnerable people living on the flood-prone remote Char islands of north-western Bangladesh. Until now, more than 100,000 people already benefitted from raised plinths, sanitary toilets and the transfer of free assets, such as cattle.
Maxwell Stamp plc managed both programmes and is hosted by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. The programmes are
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implemented on the ground by local non-governmental organisations and elected local government bodies (Union Parishad).
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes are expected from the Skills for Employment programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123983]
Mr Duncan: The Skills for Employment programme of Bangladesh, which is planned to begin in 2013, aims to support 136,000 poor people to enhance their incomes by £60 million. This will involve providing access to training and jobs in growth sectors and better migration opportunities.
A business case on the implementation options has yet to be approved.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes are expected from the Strengthening Public Expenditure Management programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123985]
Mr Duncan: By 2015, the Strengthening Public Expenditure Management programme aims to strengthen the systems of budgeting and financial management in the Government of Bangladesh, and improve the effectiveness of audit and parliamentary oversight of the budget and expenditure.
DFID is contributing to a multi-donor trust fund managed by the World Bank, which also receives support from the European Union and the Governments of Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes are expected from the Rights and Governance Challenge Fund; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123986]
Mr Duncan: By 2013, the Rights and Governance Challenge Fund, implemented by the Manusher Jonno Foundation, is expected to have enabled 253,000 poor and vulnerable people to benefit from social safety net programmes, 11,700 children to be withdrawn from hazardous work, and 121,000 workers in the garments and shrimp industries to be paid on time and have improved working conditions. In 2011 alone, the programme supported 5,755 women to receive Government land that is meant to be allocated to poor people, and 7,000 boys and girls to obtain stipends from the Government to attend school.
The Rights and Governance Challenge Fund is managed by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF). The fund is allocated through a competitive process and currently supports around 110 small and medium-sized Bangladeshi non-governmental organisations and, through them, 300 community-based organisations across Bangladesh.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes were achieved by the Rural Electricification Development project; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123987]
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Mr Duncan: By June 2010, 739,000 new households and businesses received electricity connections in rural and suburban areas in Bangladesh. The project created the infrastructural backbone for 337,000 new connections in the nine poorest areas and over half a million new connections across the rest of the country.
The project was implemented by Rural Electrification Development Board and National Rural Electric Co-operative Association (NRECA) in partnership with USAiD.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes are expected from the Promoting Financial Services for Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123988]
Mr Duncan: The Promoting Financial Services for Poverty Reduction (PROSPER) programme (2007-14), contributes to the strengthening of the microfinance sector in Bangladesh.
The first component of the programme, called PRIME, is implemented through Palli Karma Sahayek Foundation (PKSF) and will provide flexible savings and loan products to 600,000 micro, and small enterprises, enabling people to pursue income-generating opportunities and so raise their living standards.
The second component supports the establishment and operations of the Microcredit Regulatory Authority so that appropriate regulatory frameworks are developed for the microcredit institutions in the country. This helps reduce fraud and ensure that the poor's savings are protected.
The third component supports the Institute of Microfinance to conduct analytical and operational research on microfinance issues, and provide standardised training to the large number of microfinance professionals in the country.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes are expected from the Bangladesh Humanitarian Preparedness and Response programme; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123989]
Mr Duncan: The humanitarian programme allows the UK to respond quickly and effectively to disasters. Bangladesh is regularly affected by floods, cyclones, and is at risk of an earthquake. The programme will ensure that lives and livelihoods are saved, and people are assisted to recover and build their resilience through a faster, more flexible model for response, better preparation, and easier access to assist people in remote areas.
In January 2012, 150,000 people received emergency cash transfers for one month to meet immediate food needs following persistent flooding in southern Bangladesh. This support was delivered by the World Food Programme. Implementing partners for future responses will be decided according to partner capacity, with clear criteria to ensure effective response and value for money. Logistical services are supported through the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF).
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Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes were achieved by the Skills and Opportunities for Employment programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123990]
Mr Duncan: Under the Skills and Opportunities for Employment programme (2008-11) 20,993 children (51% girls) graduated from Grade VIII and 16,879 (40% girls) received technical training, of whom 90% secured employment.
This programme was implemented by the Underprivileged Children's Education Programme (UCEP), a Bangladeshi non-governmental organisation.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes were achieved by the Bangladesh Budget Support for Roads and Highways Department programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123991]
Mr Duncan: The Bangladesh Budget Support for Roads and Highways Department programme was designed to improve their central management system (CMS) for road maintenance and establish a road maintenance fund.
In 2007, the programme was cancelled due to fiduciary irregularities.
The programme was implemented by the Roads and Highways Department of the Government of Bangladesh under the Ministry of Communication.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes were achieved by the Financial Management Reform Programme; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123992]
Mr Duncan: Between 2003 and 2009, the Financial Management Reform Programme (FMRP) strengthened the links between policy, planning and budgeting in the Government of Bangladesh, by introducing a medium- term budget framework in 20 line ministries and a computerised integrated budget and accounting system in 50 line ministries.
The programme was implemented by the Atos KPMG Consulting Consortium, with joint funding from the UK and the Netherlands.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of the BRAC Challenging the Frontiers of Poverty Reduction-Phase 2 project; and how the project was implemented in Bangladesh. [123994]
Mr Duncan: The BRAC Challenging the Frontiers of Poverty Reduction-Phase 2 project (2007 to 2011) helped improve the livelihoods, incomes and food security of 1 million extremely poor people of the 40 poorest districts across Bangladesh through transfer of free assets such as cattle, monthly stipends, employment and enterprise training and access to health services. Evaluations show beneficiaries continue to remain out of extreme poverty after the end of the project.
The project was implemented by BRAC, the largest NGO in Bangladesh.
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Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes are expected from the Health Sector Development programme; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123996]
Mr Duncan: The Health Sector Development programme supports the Government of Bangladesh to provide public health services to the 150 million people in the country. The intended outcomes include providing 2.1 million pregnant women with access to antenatal care and 6 million with skilled birth assistance by 2016. In addition, 6 million children under two years of age will be immunised and 18 million will receive vitamin A annually.
The programme is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with fiduciary oversight provided by the World Bank. The programme is supported by 21 development partners including the Department for International Development and the World Bank.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes are expected from the Strategic Partnership between BRAC, her Department and AusAID to support BRAC in delivering progress towards the millennium development goals in Bangladesh and to support institutional development; and how the project is being implemented in Bangladesh. [123998]
Mr Duncan: Over five years, UK support through the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) will enable BRAC to lift 166,000 women and their families (over 660,000 people) out of extreme poverty; get 176,000 children through five years of primary education; enable 3.2 million additional couples to use modern contraceptive methods; ensure that 608,000 women are attended by skilled attendants when they deliver their babies; provide improved sanitation to 3.6 million people; and give over 250,000 people access to safe water. In addition, the SPA will strengthen BRAC's institutional capacity and long-term sustainability, to ensure its ability to provide basic services into the future.
Electoral Reform International Services
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) her Department and (b) the Westminster Foundation for Democracy donated to Electoral Reform International Services in each of the last three years. [123385]
Lynne Featherstone: Between April 2009 and October 2012, DFID provided approximately £226,000 to Electoral Reform International Services (ERIS). £32,000 was provided to ERIS in the financial year 2009-10, £172,000 in 2010-11, and £22,000 in the financial year 2010-11. No payments have so far been made this financial year.
The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with several sources of funding. DFID does not keep full information on all of WFD's expenditure. No departmental funds have been transferred to ERIS through WFD.
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Maldives
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding has been spent on the Maldives by the multilateral aid organisations with which her Department works. [122689]
Mr Duncan: The website of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development—Development Assistance Committee (OECD—DAC) reports on the level of Official Development Assistance to the Maldives, and lists some of the multilateral aid agencies with which DFID works.
OECD—DAC information on the Maldives:
http://www.oecd.org/dac/aidstatistics/1882072.gif
Overseas Aid
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's definition of “supported” is in relation to the provision of development aid; and if she will make a statement. [123942]
Mr Duncan: “Supported” can refer to a range of assistance to help towards delivery of development goals. This could be financial or non-financial support, such as technical assistance.
Sri Lanka
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with her Sri Lankan counterparts on the Sri Lankan military's involvement in civil society roles in the north and east of that country. [123900]
Mr Duncan: The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has not had any recent discussions with her Sri Lankan counterparts on the Sri Lankan military's involvement in civil society roles in the north and east of that country. The UK high commission in Colombo raises this issue regularly with the Government. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Under-Secretary of State also raised this issue with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister in September.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs on the IDP Resettlement Programme in Sri Lanka. [123901]
Mr Duncan: The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has not had any recent discussions with the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on the Internally Displaced People's (IDP) resettlement programme in Sri Lanka. The UK high commission in Colombo is in regular discussion with UNOCHA. Most recently, the high commissioner attended the UNOCHA briefing on this issue in October.
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Work and Pensions
Atos Healthcare
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were employed by Atos Healthcare to work on the work capability assessment in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland in each month in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012 to date. [123778]
Mr Hoban: Data on the number of staff employed by Atos Healthcare to work specifically on the work capability assessment (WCA) are not available. Atos Healthcare headcount is recorded nationally against the DWP Medical Services Contract which extends beyond delivery of the WCA.
Employment: Advisory Services
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to widen access to bodies which may provide advice and guidance with respect to employment issues. [124059]
Mr Hoban: There is no monopoly on providing advice about employment issues. Individuals are free to take advice from a range of organisations including Jobcentre Plus, Work programme providers, and other DWP contracted providers—all of whom will signpost to other appropriate sources of advice as necessary. Individuals are also free to take advice from non-Government dependent organisations. Advice can also be found on the recently launched gov.uk which replaces the Directgov and Business Link websites.
Employment: Retail Trade
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of youth employment is provided by the retail sector. [123304]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of youth employment is provided by the retail sector. (123304)
Estimates of youth employment in the UK retail sector are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). For the period April-June 2012 it is estimated that the proportion of people aged 16-24 employed in the retail sector is 21%. This does not include those employed in the retail trade of motor vehicles and motorcycles, as this is classified separately to retail under the Standard Industrial Classification 2007.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
EU Nationals
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many non-UK EU nationals have claimed disability benefits in each of the last five years; and at what cost to the public purse; [123452]
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(2) what estimate he has made of the number of non-UK EU nationals (a) employed in the UK, (b) claiming jobseekers' allowance and (c) on the Work Programme; [123453]
(3) how many non-UK EU nationals who claim the basic state pension have been resident in the UK for (a) less than one year, (b) between one and two years, (c) between two and three years, (d) between three and four years, (e) between four and five years and (f) over five years; [123454]
(4) how many non-UK EU nationals who claim jobseeker’s allowance have been resident in the UK for (a) less than one year, (b) between one and two years, (c) between two and three years, (d) between three and four years, (e) between four and five years and (f) over five years; [123455]
(5) how many non-UK EU nationals who claim disability benefits have been resident in the UK for (a) less than one year, (b) between one and two years, (c) between two and three years, (d) between three and four years, (e) between four and five years and (f) over five years; [123456]
(6) how many non-UK EU nationals who claim housing benefits have been resident in the UK for (a) less than one year, (b) between one and two years, (c) between two and three years, (d) between three and four years, (e) between four and five years and (f) over five years; [123457]
(7) what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) cost to the public purse of non-UK EU nationals claiming housing benefit in each of the last five years; [123458]
(8) how many non-UK EU nationals are claiming the basic state pension; and at what cost to the public purse. [123459]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not available.
Future Jobs Fund
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received assistance through the Future Jobs Fund in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009 and (d) 2010. [124287]
Mr Hoban: The Future Jobs Fund lasted between October 2009 and March 2011. Overall there were 105,230 starts to Future Jobs Fund vacancies: 4,590 starts in 2009, 81,390 starts in 2010 and 19,250 starts in 2011.
Housing Benefit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department plans to take to monitor the effect of the Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2012 on residents living in supported and sheltered housing. [124280]
Steve Webb: We think it unlikely that many people in this type of accommodation will be affected by the social sector size criteria reductions for working age housing benefit claimants. This is because most sheltered accommodation is occupied by pensioners who are exempt from the size criteria.
22 Oct 2012 : Column 736W
The regulations also contain a provision to exclude people living in supported exempt accommodation, which includes supported or sheltered housing, from the social sector size criteria reductions.
Income Support
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents with children between the ages of three and five are on out-of-work income support; and what estimate his Department has made of the potential saving to the public purse if such single parents were required to prepare for work in each of the next three years. [124175]
Mr Hoban: There are 205,620 lone parents with children between the ages of three and five on income support.
An estimate of the savings to the public purse brought about by this group being required to prepare for work in each of the next three years is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
New Enterprise Allowance
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Government receive revenue from the interest charged on new business loans in the new enterprise scheme. [124121]
Mr Hoban: The Government retain a minimum of one third of the interest charged on loans awarded under the new enterprise allowance scheme. That proportion may increase by up to a further third, depending on the performance of the loan service providers.
Remploy
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to respond to the proposal by Disability Employment Limited to acquire plant and premises at the former Wrexham Remploy site. [124076]
Esther McVey: Remploy has received a number of proposals for the site/assets which are currently under consideration, Remploy will be shortly contacting the bidders to clarify the position and confirm the next steps.
Social Security Benefits
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who receive (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) carer's allowance, (c) disability living allowance and (d) employment and support allowance have (i) previously worked for over five years and (ii) never worked; and what the cost to the public purse is of benefits for each such category in each of the last three years. [124176]
Mr Hoban: The information is not readily available. It is not feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit.
Mr Byrne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been claiming (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) carer's allowance, (c) disability living allowance and (d) employment and support
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allowance for more than six months in the latest period for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the total value of spending on such benefits in each of the next three years. [124285]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on carer’s allowance and employment and support allowance by duration of claim are available from DWP. 100% actual data for May 2012 are published at:
www.nomisweb.co.uk
The claimant count figures for jobseeker's allowance, latest figures September 2012, can also be found there.
Statistics on disability living allowance for claimants are available for February 2012 and are published at:
http://83.244.183.180/100pc/dla/ccsex/ctdurtn/a_carate_r_ccsex_c_ctdurtn_feb12.html
Guidance for users is available at
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Social Security Benefits: British Nationals Abroad
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people living outside the UK receive non-contributory benefits; and what the total monetary value of those benefits is estimated to be in each of the next three years. [124052]
Mr Hoban [holding answer 19 October 2012]: The available information is in the following tables:
| 2011-12 | |
| Caseload | |
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| Notes: 1. Caseload data reflect position as at February 2012 unless otherwise stated. 2. AA expenditure is forecast to increase due to the July 2011 ruling about exportability of benefits to EEA and Switzerland. 3. State Pension Category D spending for overseas claimants is not separately identified in the forecasts. 4. Figures may include a very small amount of expenditure where the claimant's residence is not known. 5. Benefit expenditure data, including overseas figures, can be found on the DWP website at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/index.php?page=expenditure Source: Statistical and accounting data | |||
Social Security Benefits: Disqualification
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Aberconwy have had a sanction applied for refusing to take employment since May 2010. [122646]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on how many people in the Aberconwy constituency who have had a sanction applied for refusing to take employment since May 2010 are only available for jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) claimants, which are shown in the following table.
| Number of JSA claimants in Aberconwy constituency who have had a sanction applied for refusing employment: 1 May 2010 to 30 April 2012 | |
| Area | Number of JSA claimants |
| Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database | |
Statistics on how many people in the Aberconwy constituency have had a sanction applied for refusing to take employment since May 2010 for non-JSA claimants are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants had their benefits stopped via sanction in the last quarter for which figures are available. [124218]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Universal Credit
Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether housing benefit will be paid directly to landlords following the introduction of universal credit. [122297]
Mr Hoban: As part of the transition to universal credit, claimants will receive a single monthly payment which will contain an element payable for rent.
For a minority of claimants, alternative payment arrangements may be needed to support them in the move to universal credit. This might include payment of housing costs direct to the landlord.
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Winter Fuel Payments: West Midlands
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners received the winter fuel allowance in (a) Coventry, (b) Coventry North East constituency and (c) the west midlands in each of the last five years. [124117]
Steve Webb: The information requested is provided in the following table:
| Total number of winter fuel payment recipients in Coventry and west midlands | |||
| Coventry North East constituency | Coventry local authority | West midlands region | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. These figures recognise the May 2010 structural changes to the parliamentary constituencies of England and Wales and the April 2009 structural changes to the local authorities of England. 3. These figures are for the total number of payments made and will therefore include some recipients who are not yet pension age. 4. The reduction in the latest year's figures is due to the rise in WFP qualifying age which is linked to women's state pension age. 5. The latest figures for winter fuel payments are published at: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wfp Source: Information, Governance and Security Directorate, DWP | |||
Work Capability Assessment
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who have requested that their work capability assessments be recorded in each parliamentary constituency. [123873]
Mr Hoban: Constituency level data are not available.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he intends to bring forward proposals to ensure that additional evidence from medical practitioners can be taken into account in work capability assessments. [124244]
Mr Hoban: Under existing processes the Department's decision-makers are already required to consider all the available information before making a decision on benefit entitlement; this includes additional evidence from medical practitioners.
Work Programme
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to undertake the next stocktake of sub-contractors in the Work programme. [124242]
Mr Hoban: The most recent stocktake was undertaken on 31 July 2012 and will be published in November. The next stocktake will be undertaken at the end of March 2013 to align with DWP's operating year.
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Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan
Mr Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the preferred airline is for staff of his Department travelling between the UK and Kabul. [123934]
Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office takes into account a number of factors when approving routes between the UK and its overseas missions. These include cost, routeing, safety records of airlines, and the personal security of officers and their dependants. We will always strive to obtain maximum value for money for public funds without compromising our duty of care to our officers. The current approved route between London and Kabul is Emirates Airlines London/Dubai and FlyDubai Dubai/Kabul. Staff may use other routes or airlines when they are not travelling on official business. All approved routes are reviewed after six months to ensure that they continue to provide proper value for money.
Arms Trade: Treaties
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made on agreeing the Arms Trade Treaty; and if he will make a statement. [123391]
Alistair Burt: The UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty took place in July. The UK continued its leading role at the conference and, although a treaty was not adopted, significant progress was made.
The UK is now co-authoring a Resolution at the UN General Assembly First Committee, currently underway in New York, to set the timing and modalities for a further short conference in March 2013 to finalise work on the treaty. The UK will continue to lead international efforts to secure a robust and effective Arms Trade Treaty that has the broad support of the UN membership.
British Indian Ocean Territory
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Commissioner and Administrator of British Indian Ocean Territory are answerable to Ministers in his Department as officials of his Department or whether they constitute an autonomous Government of an overseas territory. [123896]
Mark Simmonds: The Commissioner and Administrator of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) are part of the Government of BIOT, a constitutionally distinct Government of an overseas territory of the UK. Their relationship to UK Ministers is constitutionally comparable to the relationship of the Governments of all overseas territories with UK Ministers. These relationships are set out in the respective overseas territories' constitutions. The constitutional position of the BIOT Government is set out in the BIOT Constitution.
I will arrange for a copy of the BIOT Constitution to be placed in the Library of the House.
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Energy
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what objectives have been set for his adviser on energy and resource security. [123688]
Mark Simmonds: In his capacity as personal adviser, Lord Howell will advise the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on:
global energy developments and their implications for British foreign policy interests and goals;
global developments on wider resource security issues and their implications for British foreign policy interests and goals;
business, economic and political developments overseas which could impact on the UK's ability to achieve energy security in a manner consistent with our interests in climate change.
The energy aspects of these objectives are in line with the Government's stated goals with respect to international energy security.
www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/int_energy/int_energy.aspx
Indonesia
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ask the President of Indonesia for what reason Indonesia rejected the recommendation in the Universal Periodic Review carried out by the UN Human Rights Council that steps be taken to safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples. [123428]
Mr Swire: The Government of Indonesia have responded to recommendations on the rights of indigenous people made during their Universal Periodic Review in May this year. The recommendation was to ensure the rights of indigenous peoples and local forest-dependent peoples in law and practice, in particular regarding their rights to traditional lands, territories and resources.
The Government of Indonesia had said they supported the promotion and protection of indigenous people worldwide. However, given its demographic composition Indonesia does not recognise the application of the indigenous people concept as defined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the country.
The UK promotes best practice by encouraging all states to submit effective responses to their Universal Periodic Review recommendations. We will continue to raise issues with respect to indigenous people with the Government of Indonesia at every appropriate opportunity.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on Indonesia's response to the recommendations of its Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council; and if he will discuss that response with the President of Indonesia during his forthcoming State visit. [123429]
Mr Swire:
On 5 September 2012 Indonesia presented its report to the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in response to the UPR review it underwent in May 2012. It received 180
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recommendations, accepted 150 and rejected 30. A UK official who was present noted that the delegation were quite open about the fact that they still faced a number of challenges to their human rights performance. External factors such as extremism were still having a big influence over how they handled human rights issues. The UPR is a subsidiary of the Human Rights Council and both are political bodies/mechanisms. It is good practice for states to give reasons why they have rejected recommendations but it is not always done.
It is our policy to encourage effective responses and implementation of recommendations. We have taken note of Indonesia's response to the recommendations. Our embassy in Jakarta engages regularly with the Government of Indonesia on human rights issues bilaterally and through the EU and stands ready to offer advice or guidance should Indonesia require our help.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss allegations of rising religious intolerance and violations of freedom of religion or belief in Indonesia with the President of that country during his forthcoming state visit to the UK. [123431]
Mr Swire: We are concerned about individuals and groups in Indonesia who are denied the right to freedom of religion or belief, or who face discrimination and persecution. We have raised the difficulties that religious minorities experience in Indonesia with the Indonesian Government. In our statement for Indonesia's Universal Periodic Review in May this year, we encouraged the Government to tackle violence against minority faiths, ensure that those who perpetrate these acts are brought to justice, and promote a climate where such incidents do not reoccur.
The Prime Minister, during his speech at the Al Azhar university in Jakarta in April this year, referred to freedom of religion and highlighted
“the vital importance of standing up against the despicable violence and persecution of minorities, whether Christians, Ahmadiyyas, or others; and ensuring that people have the right to live their lives, and practise their religion in the way they see fit.”
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss the human rights situation in West Papua with the President of Indonesia during his forthcoming state visit to the UK. [123432]
Mr Swire: We regularly discuss the situation in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua with the Indonesian Government. We take seriously all reports of human rights violations in the provinces and we will continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Indonesia.
During the state visit, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), will meet his counterpart the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Mr Marty Natalegawa, and the Prime Minister will meet the President, where there will be an opportunity to raise these issues.
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Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will encourage the President of Indonesia to establish a meaningful dialogue with representatives of the people of West Papua, to seek a peaceful political solution to the Papuan conflict. [123433]
Mr Swire: The UK encourages meaningful dialogue between all parties and remains committed to urging all levels of government to work with the Papuans towards solving their regional governance disputes peacefully.
During the state visit, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), will meet his counterpart the Foreign Minister of Indonesia Mr Marty Natalegawa, and the Prime Minister will meet with the President, where there will be an opportunity to raise these issues.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will encourage the President of Indonesia to invite the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression to visit (a) West Papua and (b) other parts of Indonesia in 2013. [123434]
Mr Swire: During the Indonesian Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session in May 2012 the UK noted that no Special Rapporteur had visited Indonesia since 2007, and the UK encouraged Indonesia to accept requests for visits to take place. In September of this year a response to the UPR recommendations confirmed that the Government have extended an invitation to the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression. The plans regarding the dates and modalities are currently the subject of consultation between the Government and the Special Rapporteur. We would encourage the Indonesian Government to allow complete, unhindered and unfettered access to all provinces of Indonesia. However, it is up to the country concerned how much access they will be given.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will encourage the President of Indonesia to invite the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief to visit that country in 2013. [123435]
Mr Swire: Indonesia underwent its Universal Period Review in May 2012. The UK statement noted the increasing attacks against religious minorities and we specifically recommended that Indonesia accept a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. We continue to encourage Indonesia to accept such visits.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the President of Indonesia to revise or repeal that country's blasphemy law and its ministerial decrees on religion, and to take steps to end discriminatory policies towards religious minorities and ensure full protection for freedom of religion and belief. [123436]
Mr Swire:
We believe that freedom of religion or belief and respect for religious plurality should be at the heart of society. Indonesia's own constitution enshrines these values. We continue to monitor the Indonesian authorities' policies towards freedom of religion issues, including the blasphemy law and 2008 Joint Ministerial
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Decree. Along with our EU partners, we will continue to call for religious tolerance across Indonesia and press the authorities to ensure the rights of all religious minorities.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the President of Indonesia the potential effects on the rule of law in that country of the decision by certain local mayors to refuse permission for churches to open; and if he will offer Indonesia assistance in the development, protection and promotion of the rule of law. [123437]
Mr Swire: During the forthcoming state visit of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), will meet his counterpart, the Foreign Minister of Indonesia Mr Marty Natalegawa, and the Prime Minister will meet the President, where there will be an opportunity to raise these and other issues. Our embassy in Jakarta is already using funds to support building democratic institutions in Indonesia. This includes a project with civil society and the police to develop and disseminate guidelines on dealing with cases related to religious freedom run by the non-governmental organisation Kontras Indonesia.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training his Department has provided to Indonesia's Densus 88 through the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation; what evaluations it has made of that training; what discussions concerning the training have taken place with Indonesian civil society organisations; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent impact assessment of such training. [123438]
Mr Swire: Our training with the Indonesian National Police (and specifically with Densus (Detachment 88) at Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation (JCLEC)) is focused on combating terrorism. Classroom-based training run by a training officer from the Metropolitan police force shares the UK experience in managing counter-terrorism investigations and preventing terrorist attacks; and in the investigation and prosecution of those who are responsible in a way that is compliant with international human rights standards. We evaluate projects looking at impact, deliverability and value for money. JCLEC’s intended outputs are closely aligned with the UK’s counter-terrorism CONTEST strategy and our assessment to date is that through the training at JCLEC the UK has contributed positively to Indonesia’s ability to disrupt terrorist networks operating in the region. Our embassy in Jakarta has an ongoing dialogue with civil society organisations covering a wide range of issues. The UK’s support for Indonesia’s work against terrorism is discussed as part of the regular dialogue about our bilateral relationship.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on allegations that the Indonesian counter-terrorist organisation Densus 88 was involved in the killing of the Papuan political leader, Mako Tabuni, in June 2012, and in recent arrests of political activists in Papua. [123439]
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Mr Swire: Officers from specialist units including Densus 88 are part of local police structures in most provinces throughout Indonesia, including Papua (where these officers report to headquarters in Jakarta). We are aware that Mako Tabuni was killed by the Indonesian security forces on 14 June, but the circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear. Our ambassador met with senior police officials in Papua in September and emphasised the need for full and transparent investigations into violent incidents.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that officers of the Indonesian counter-terrorist organisation Densus 88 trained by the UK are not involved in human rights violations in Papua. [123440]
Mr Swire: The UK shares the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation's (JCLEC) commitment to work within a framework of respect for the rule of law and a commitment to upholding human rights obligations in compliance with UK and international standards. We keep our capacity building work under close review to ensure that it meets our human rights obligations. All of the training delivered by the UK is rooted firmly in the importance of upholding human rights in counter-terror investigations and each training course contains a specific module on these obligations.
Any allegations of wrongdoing in counter-terror operations should be taken seriously and fully investigated and addressed. We welcomed the Chief of the Indonesian National Police's commitment, in July 2011, that in the event of any allegations, Densus 88 would be open “to any assessment made by a third party to make sure that the unit violates no law” and to take action if it is clear that a violation has occurred.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what UK-supplied military equipment is used by the Indonesian counter-terrorism organisation Densus 88; what guidelines have been issued to the British embassy in Indonesia concerning the end-use monitoring of UK-supplied military equipment; and if he will place a copy of those guidelines in the Library. [123441]
Mr Swire: The UK has not licensed the export of any goods or technology from the UK Military List for use by Densus 88 in the past 13 years, which are the years for which electronic records are available. Guidance on the end-use monitoring of UK-supplied military equipment is made available to all Posts. Disclosure of this internal guidance could prejudice the effective conduct of our Posts' activity; thus I do not propose to place a copy in the House Library.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding the Government has provided (a) to the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) and (b) for training of Indonesia's Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88) counter-terrorism unit through JCLEC, by year; and under what budget headings any such funding was allocated. [123442]
Mr Swire:
Since 2005 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Counter Terrorism Programme (CTP) has provided approximately £2.3 million in support of the Jakarta
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Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation. In 2012-13 the CTP is providing £430,000; in 2011-12 we provided £400,000; in financial year (FY) 2010-11 we provided £370,000; in FY 2009-10 we provided £384,912; in FY 2008-09 we provided £169,124; in FY 2007-08 we provided £212,486; in FY 2006-07 we provided £210,413; and in 2005-06 we provided £133,204. Each year we have delivered a package of classroom-based training programmes and support through a UK Police Training Adviser.
These training programmes are provided for the Indonesian National Police including officers from Densus 88 as the lead police unit tackling terrorism in the country. They aim to share UK experience in managing counter-terrorism investigations, preventing terrorist attacks; and investigating and prosecuting those who are responsible in a way that is compliant with international human rights standards.
Nigeria
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the extent of religious persecution in Nigeria; and what representations he has made to the Nigerian Government on such persecution. [123973]
Mark Simmonds: We assess that Nigeria is a tolerant nation, but attacks by violent extremists have sought to provoke religious division. Such attacks, as well as inter-communal violence, have caused suffering in both Christian and Muslim communities in Nigeria. Responsibility for many of these attacks, including, increasingly, those against places of worship, has been claimed by the Islamic extremist group popularly known as Boko Haram. Boko Haram has also claimed responsibility for attacks against political and traditional leaders, as well as members of Nigeria's security forces. The British Government condemn all such instances of violence, and we regularly call for those responsible to be brought to justice and for the Government of Nigeria to ensure the protection of all Nigerian citizens. The most recent occasion was during the visit by the three Permanent Secretaries of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and Ministry of Defence in September.
Somalia
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on levels of human trafficking in Somalia; and what discussions he has had with his Somali counterpart on human trafficking. [124282]
Mark Simmonds: We take human trafficking very seriously and recognise that it is a prevalent problem in the horn of Africa. We are committed to tackling human trafficking both on a national and global scale and to supporting the work being carried out by the International Organisation for Migration and other organisations in the region to help tackle this crime. The UK is working closely with Somali, African Union and international partners to ensure the protection of human rights throughout Somalia, including by developing the Government's capacity to tackle human rights issues such as human trafficking. This is in line with the aims of our Human Trafficking Strategy.
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Somalia is not one of the major source countries for trafficking victims to the UK. Since January 2012, three Somali nationals have been referred to the UK's national referral mechanism as potential victims.
Sri Lanka
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the treatment and situation of Tamils returned to Sri Lanka by the UK in the last year. [123301]
Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and our high commission maintains an oversight of the returns process. The UK does not monitor unsuccessful asylum seekers who have returned to their country of origin, because they are, by definition, foreign nationals who have been found as a matter of law not to need the UK's protection and who had no legal basis of stay in the UK.
The UK takes its international responsibilities seriously and fully complies with all of its international obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees and the European convention on human rights. The British Government also regularly urge the Sri Lankan Government to improve the human rights situation for vulnerable groups and to investigate incidents that happen and prosecute those responsible.
Where asylum seekers can demonstrate they face a real risk of persecution or ill-treatment on return to Sri Lanka, they are granted protection in the UK. Returns are enforced only if it is safe to do so and the UK Border Agency is satisfied that the individual has no international protection needs. All decisions have a right of appeal where they are evaluated by the independent Tribunal Service for Immigration and Asylum. The European Court of Human Rights has endorsed our policy that not all Tamil asylum seekers are in need of international protection.
Terrorism
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the extent of funding of terrorist organisations from ransom payments. [123395]
Alistair Burt: Terrorists use kidnapping to raise finance. al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQ-M) in particular has repeatedly taken western hostages. In some cases these operations have been co-ordinated with al-Qaeda leadership. Funds raised from ransom payments have significantly enhanced AQ-M's operational capability, including its ability to recruit and retain personnel and buy new equipment. The British Government's policy on kidnap for ransom is long-held and clear: we seek the swift and safe return of hostages, but do not pay ransoms or make other substantive concessions to hostage takers (prisoner release or a change in policy). We do so on the basis that making concessions serves only to fuel the problem and increase the risk to our nationals.
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Business, Innovation and Skills
ACAS
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will undertake an investigation into the efficacy and impartiality of the advice given by the ACAS helpline. [124058]
Jo Swinson: ACAS takes its responsibilities to ensure that it gives callers accurate and impartial advice very seriously. ACAS regularly monitors customers' usage, experiences and attitudes towards the ACAS helpline. The following results are based on the most recent independent evaluation of the ACAS helpline published in August 2012:
94% of callers agreed that the helpline adviser presented the information in an impartial way.
93% of callers agreed that the helpline adviser was knowledgeable;
86% of callers agreed that the information provided answered their inquiry in full;
85% of callers agreed that the information provided helped them decide what to do next (this is quoted in the 2011-12 annual report “performance against customer satisfaction targets” against a target of 70%);
87% of callers agreed that the information provided in their call was valuable to them.
94% of callers were satisfied overall with the service they received from the ACAS helpline.
ACAS has a comprehensive programme of development for its advisers to ensure they are kept up to date, and managers work closely with staff, including listening to call recordings to ensure that the advice given meets its standards.
Apprentices: Ashfield
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people started Government apprenticeships in the Ashfield constituency in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date. [124240]
Matthew Hancock: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship programme starts in the Ashfield parliamentary constituency for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years based on final year data and for the 2011-12 academic year based on provisional data.
Provisional data for the 2011-12 academic year provide an early view of performance and will change as further data returns are received from further education colleges and providers. Figures for 2011-12 will be finalised in January 2013. They should not be directly compared with final year data from previous years.
| Table 1: Apprenticeship programme starts in Ashfield parliamentary constituency, 2009-10 to 2011-12(1) | |||
| Final | Provisional | ||
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | |
| (1)Provisional. Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Geographic breakdowns are based upon the home postcode of the learner. 3. Figures are based on the geographic boundaries as of May 2010. Source: Individualised Learner Record. | |||
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Information on the number of apprenticeship starts by geography is published in a supplementary table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 11 October 2012:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_sfr_supplementary_tables/
British Antarctic Survey
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future of the British Antarctic Survey. [123682]
Mr Willetts: There is at present no agreed plan to change the status of the British Antarctic Survey. On 7 June 2012, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) announced that it is looking at merging the scientific and logistics management of the British Antarctic Survey and the National Oceanography Centre to form a single, integrated marine and polar research centre. An open consultation of stakeholders and staff was launched on the NERC website and closed last week with 370 responses. The NERC Council will reach a decision in due course, informed by the results of the consultation and other feedback.
Any changes would have no effect on the UK's commitment to scientific excellence in Antarctica nor on the existing footprint of scientific bases and research ships in the South Atlantic. NERC has stated that the three NERC sites in Cambridge, Southampton and Liverpool will remain. The British Antarctic Survey name would be retained for activities and logistics relating to the Antarctic and South Atlantic.
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy was on retaining section 52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 during negotiations on the Designs Directive. [122917]
Jo Swinson
[holding answer 19 October 2012]: The Designs Directive was negotiated in the late 1990s,
22 Oct 2012 : Column 750W
under a previous Administration. It is an established convention that Minsters of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested.
Females: Directors
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the proposal by the European Commission to institute a mandatory quota on the number of women on company boards. [124072]
Jo Swinson: We have received no formal announcement from the European Commission as to their proposed policy for women on boards.
The Government agree with the Commission that increasing the representation of women on the boards of UK listed companies is an important issue. However we are not in favour of EU legislation or regulation, including quotas. National-level solutions are best and evidence shows that the UK's voluntary business-led approach is working.
Graduates
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects from universities in England in the last three years were UK nationals; and what proportion of students registered for postgraduate degrees in such subjects in England are UK nationals. [124126]
Mr Willetts: The latest available information on the proportion of undergraduate qualifiers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects from universities in England who were of UK nationality is shown in Table 1 for the academic years 2008/09 to 2010/11. Information on the proportion of postgraduate enrolments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects at universities in England who were of UK nationality is shown in Table 2.
Information for the 2011/12 academic year will become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in January 2013.
| Table 1: UK National undergraduate qualifiers by subject of study English higher education institutions, academic years 2008/09 to 2010/11 | |||||||||
| 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | |||||||
| Subject area | Enrolments | Of which: UK Nationals | % UK Nationals | Enrolments | Of which: UK Nationals | % UK Nationals | Enrolments | Of which: UK Nationals | % UK Nationals |
| Notes: 1. Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded up or down to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals. 2. Percentages are calculated on unrounded figures and are given to one decimal place. 3. STEM: Science, Technology. Engineering and Mathematics Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record | |||||||||
| Table 2: UK National postgraduate enrolments(1) by subject of study English higher education institutions, academic years 2008/09 to 2010/11 | |||||||||
| 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | |||||||
| Subject area | Enrolments | Of which: UK Nationals | % UK Nationals | Enrolments | Of which: UK Nationals | % UK Nationals | Enrolments | Of which: UK Nationals | % UK Nationals |
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22 Oct 2012 : Column 752W
| (1) Covers students in all years of study. Notes: 1. Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded up or down to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals. 2. Percentages are calculated on unrounded figures and are given to one decimal place. 3. STEM: Science. Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency {HESA) Student Record | |||||||||
Students: Fees and Charges
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the competitiveness of universities in England and Wales in attracting UK students at present fee levels. [124124]
Mr Willetts: In our annual grant letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), dated 25 January 2012, we asked HEFCE to provide an initial assessment by December 2012 of how the new funding arrangements are affecting students and institutions in England. This will help inform the next grant letter to HEFCE, which will cover the 2013-14 financial year.
As higher education policy in Wales is devolved to the Welsh Government, assessing the competitiveness of Welsh universities would not be undertaken by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Mr Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the consumer price index basket of goods higher education tuition fees represent. [124178]
Mr Willetts: In the consumer prices index, education holds a weight of 19 out of a total of 1,000. That weight of 19 is further subdivided as shown in the following table:
| Weight | |
Further information on the construction of the consumer prices index can be found at
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/cpi/consumer-price-indices/september-2012/index.html
Wind Power
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the skills gap that exists in relation to the potential for offshore wind development in the UK; and what steps he plans to take to address that gap. [123974]
Matthew Hancock: The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) investigated skills issues and published "Maximising employment and skills in the offshore wind supply chain" in August 2011. In addition, Energy and Utility Skills (EU Skills), the Sector Skills Council for the renewable energy industry, and RenewableUK, produced "Working for a Green Britain: Vol 2, Future Employment and Skills in the UK Wind and Marine Industries" (July 2011). These sources provide a good assessment of the skills required for the future offshore wind industry.
In terms of activity, there has been significant success for the offshore sector in securing skills capacity funding managed by UKCES. For example, RenewableUK received support to establish a Renewable Training Network aiming to tackle skills shortages in the renewable energy sector and EU Skills received funding to create a Group Skills Purchasing Scheme to support the provision of quality assured training addressing the skills needed for the delivery of renewable energy. There is also a range of initiatives aiming to increase awareness of green skills, such as information provided through the National Careers Service and improve, green skills provision in the Further Education sector through the work of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service.