Foreign Affairs CommitteeSupplementary written evidence from the Rt Hon Hugh Robertson, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

During my 11 November evidence session to the Foreign Affairs Committee, on Extremism and Political Instability in North and West Africa, I agreed to write to Committee members with further information in two areas.

You asked about our policy on migration. I have undertaken to inform the Committee on this issue as soon as the EU Home Affairs Council on 5 and 6 December and the European Council on 19 and 20 December have met.

Mr Frank Roy MP asked about UK support on border security/management and, specifically, whether border training and digital technology could be provided within a development aid package, and whether this is how I see it being given.

We look for the most appropriate way to fund and deliver projects; all capacity-building programmes are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Providing border training and digital technology as part of a development aid package would depend on whether the activity was eligible as Overseas Development Aid (ODA)—against the OECD definition:

is a flow to a country or territory on the OECD DAC list of ODA recipients, or to a multilateral development institution;

is provided by official agencies;

is concessional in character; and

is administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective.

In addition, any border management support designed to directly combat terrorism is not reportable as ODA, as it generally targets perceived threats to donor, as much as to recipient countries, rather than focusing on the economic and social development of the recipient. The financing of military equipment or services would also generally be excluded from ODA reporting.

A range of digital technologies can be used to aid border operations including detection of document fraud, improving the ability of local authorities to identify and disrupt threats to border security and the accurate recording of traveller information.

The UK’s current activity in the region is focused on reducing the risk to aviation and coordinating regional efforts on border management. The UK delivers aviation security projects in a number of priority countries to increase protective security for carriers with direct flights to the UK. This includes maintaining levels of assurance on passenger and cargo checks in line with international regulations, increasing physical protection at airports and mitigating the risk from Man Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) attacks. This is carried out through a combination of security training of airport personnel, and delivery of screening equipment and hardware. On border management, the UK has provided equipment and training in key locations to strengthen security practices.

As an example, we are assisting the Libyan authorities with their border management. A UK Border Security Adviser is working with Defence and Interior Ministries on capacity-building, including wide-area surveillance training for border guards. UK experts have been seconded to key positions within EUBAM (EU Border Assistance Mission) in order to promote UK objectives and strengthen Libyan border and aviation security regimes. We are also funding two capacity-building projects to reduce the risk posed to civil aviation from MANPADs and build sustainable aviation security capacity. We are working with the Libyan Government to help it regain control and manage the Qadhafi era stockpiles of unsecured arms and ammunition.

All my very best wishes,

22 November 2013