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3 Feb 1997 : Column WA119

Written Answers

Monday, 3rd February 1997.

Atrush Camp, Northern Iraq

Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:

    With regard to Atrush Camp in Northern Iraq, whether they will ensure that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees arranges alternative accommodation for all bona-fide refugees who do not wish to return to Turkey, together with humane treatment for those who are so willing.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): UNHCR have made clear that they will assist anyone wishing to return to Turkey from Atrush Camp. They are currently looking at possible solutions for those who choose not to do so, and have said that refugees will not be forced to return. Monitoring the situation inside Turkey for those who do return is part of the UNHCR's standard practice; we expect the Turkish authorities to co-operate with the UNHCR.

Hazrat Ali Mental Asylum

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they accept the allegations of lying, reported in the Observer of 19th January, against the National Programme Director of UNICEF, Muhammad Reza Husseini, in connection with the involvement of UNICEF's local branch in the operations of the Iranian Hazrat Ali mental asylum and with the quality of the asylum; and what action they can take to investigate the allegations.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: It is for UNICEF to respond to allegations made against their staff in Iran.

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether Muhammad Reza Husseini secretly discussed with the Iranian newspaper Keyhan Havai a plan to discredit the makers of a film shown on CNN exposing the treatment of children in the Iranian Hazrat Ali mental asylum; and what action might be taken to investigate the alleged threats against Ms Nahid Zare Kamal, the journalist who made the film, that she would be tortured unless she confessed that the film was fabricated.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We are aware of the programme shown on CNN about the treatment of children in the Hazrat Ali mental asylum. But we have no confirmation of the allegations subsequently made against Muhammad Reza Husseini. We are concerned about the alleged threats against Ms Nahid Zare Kamal, but have no independent means to investigate.

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Former Yugoslavia: Tracing of War Criminals

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will provide an account of the composition and terms of reference of (a) the "revitalised tracking unit" to trace the whereabouts of alleged war criminals indicated by the tribunal on the former Yugoslavia; (b) the "special police force" to hunt down war criminals reported to have been agreed by the US Defense Secretary, William Perry, and the defence ministers of France, the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark; and (c) the "steering board" which has been asked to consider what further measures could be taken to facilitate the delivery of indictees to the tribunal, and whether they will state in each case by what authority these bodies have been established, how they are to be financed, and to whom they will report.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The Fugitive Intelligence Support Team is part of the Prosecutor's Office of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. It is staffed by employees of the tribunal. It acts as the contact point with outside law enforcement agencies, co-ordinating evidence on indictees. We will be seconding a police officer to it and are encouraging others to provide secondees and resources.

There has been some discussion of the idea of a special police force but no international agreement.

The Peace Implementation Council Steering Board was established at the London Peace Implementation Conference held in London on 8th-9th December 1995. It normally meets monthly and keeps the Peace Implementation Council informed of developments in the peace process. The board comprises representatives of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom, United States, Turkey (on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference), the Presidency of the European Union and the European Commission. It is chaired by the High Representative.

Indonesia: Water Cannon

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What information they have received about the use of water cannon supplied by United Kingdom companies against peaceful civilian demonstrations in Indonesia; what representations they have received on the licensing of exports of water cannon to Indonesia; and whether they will now suspend licences already issued, and refrain from granting any further licences, pending further inquiries by independent human rights agencies into the circumstances in which the Indonesian authorities use water cannon, and the development of codes of conduct which effectively prohibit their deployment against peaceful demonstrations.

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Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We have no evidence that UK-supplied water cannon have been used against peaceful civilian demonstrations in Indonesia, although we have recently received a report, which we are studying, alleging such use in Bandung in June 1996. Following the riots in Jakarta in July we have ensured that the Indonesian authorities are well aware of our concern that this equipment should not be used indiscriminately or to disperse peaceful demonstrations in violation of the universal human rights of freedom of expression, association and assembly.

We have received representations about the export of water cannon to Indonesia from various sources, including Members of Parliament, non-governmental organisations and the general public.

Licence applications for the export of defence equipment to all destinations, including Indonesia, are considered on a case by case basis. We monitor political developments in Indonesia closely, including the human rights situation there. These factors are taken into account before decisions are taken to allow the export of British defence equipment, including water cannon. Not all applications are approved. We do not licence for export any UK defence equipment which we judge likely to be used for internal repression. Any future applications for water cannon would also be considered on an individual basis, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at the time. We have no plans to suspend licences already issued for the export of water cannon to Indonesia.

ODA Grants to NGOs

The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Which British non-governmental organisations received assistance during the last financial year from the Overseas Development Administration, and how much each organisation received.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: Grants made by the Overseas Development Administration to United Kingdom Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in 1995-96 for work in developing countries amounted to £163,845,411 as detailed in the attached table. The comparable figure in 1993-94 was £148,610,155 and in 1994-95 £173,124,136--an exceptional year due to the Rwanda crisis.

In addition we made grants amounting to £15,655,907 in 1995-96 to United Kingdom NGOs for work in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The comparable figure in 1993-94 was £9,839,600 and in 1994-95, £11,989,655.

United Kingdom NGOs also draw substantially on European Union aid programmes, to which we contribute.

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The table below provides details of all ODA grants in 1995-96.

1995-96 Direct grants to non governmental organisations for work in developing countries (excluding eastern Europe)

Voluntary organisation(1)Amount of direct grant awarded in financial year 1995-96(2)
ACORD1,234,548
Action Disability & Development237,365
Action Health 200045,318
Action in International Medicine5,000
ActionAid5,587,350
Active Learning Centre34,983
Afghan Aid300,000
Africa Educational Trust26,673
Africa Now172,286
Africa Resources Trust100,000
African Development Fund3,481,681
African Society for International & Comparative Law17,592
Afro-Asian Society of Nematology430
Aga Khan Foundation1,194,086
AHRTAG695,956
Alternative for India Development47,124
AMREF242,309
Anti Slavery International6,464
APT Design and Development325,216
APTT Trust UK7,298
Arpana Charitable Trust (UK)34,000
ASLIB94
Association for Better Land Husbandry134,298
Associated Country Women of the World4,356
Association of Commonwealth Universities2,592,386
BirdLife International206,066
British Institute of International & Comparative Law25,000
British Afghanistan Trust21,515
Britain Nepal Medical Trust149,869
British Executive Service Overseas747,731
British Red Cross Society16,167,110
Busoga Trust79,275
CAFOD2,960,965
Calcutta Rescue Fund2,182
Cambodia Trust158,454
Canon Collins Educational Trust for South Africa 21,595
Canterbury Christ Church College IPO146,048
CARE International UK9,205,344
Catholic Institute for International Relations2,029,863
Charities Aid Foundation65
Charities Evaluation Services6,150
ChildHope136,932
Christain Aid7,685,178
Christain Engineers in Development27,192
Christain Fellowship Trust7,518
Christain Outreach461,639
Christains Abroad61,237
Church Missionary Society6,630
Co-operation for Development186,937
CODA International Training260,735
Code Europe40,940
Commonwealth TUC150,299
Commonwealth Human Ecology Council47,189
Concern Universal919,162
Concern Worldwide1,082,164
Conciliation Resources (IWPR)31,857
Consortium for Street Children16,100
Cranfield Institute of Technology34,550
Cranfield Trust2,694
Cusichaca Project Trust28,290
Durham-Lesotho Link19,959
Education for Development34,315
Education Partners Overseas50,000
Farm Africa922,142
Feed the Children75,279
Feed the Minds29,831
Find Your Feet13,273
Food for The Hungry International62,157
Friends of ASSEFA30,249
Friends of Conservation50,451
Fulshaind Village Trust17,295
GB China Education Trust21,222
GOAL141,570
Gordon Barclay Vietnam Fund2,998
Gurkha Welfare Trust93,131
Halo Trust1,551,495
Harvest Help42,371
Health Aid UK (Rwanda)84,300
Health Projects Abroad52,883
Health Unlimited874,075
HelpAge International462,746
Henry Doubleday Research Association17,421
Holy Trinity Church Middlesex14,100
Homeless International146,985
IUCN30
IACR-Rothamsted74,222
ICEA3,349
Ideas Aid International UK30,000
Impact Foundation10,533
India Development Group21,816
Institute of Development Studies2,880,658
Institute of Terrestrial Ecology3,780
Institute of Data Processing Management700
Institute for Animal Health73,868
International Agricultural Training Programme43,092
International Alert5,492
International Care and Relief16,490
International Cent Agroforestry46,287
International Childcare Trust67,631
International Children's Trust58,986
International Extension College178,508
International Family Health286,962
International Health Exchange160,499
International Planned Parenthood Federation8,800,763
International HIV/AIDS Alliance200,000
International Records Management Trust465,731
International Refugee Trust26,006
International Rescue Corps1,069
International Trust for Nature Conservation2,103
Interfund114,312
Interights25,000
Intermediate Technology Development3,705,475
INTRAC37,981
Islamic Relief59,602
Joint Mission Hospital Equipment Board16,422
Karuna Trust16,300
Kasanka Trust1,700
Kerala Federation for the Blind8,350
King Mahendra Trust58,625
Kurdish Life Aid307,000
Legal Assistance Trust90,572
Leonard Cheshire Foundation47,119
Leprosy Mission9,832
Leprosy Mission (Scotland)17,587
League for Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers2,200
Life Sowing Ministries217,260
Link Africa30,495
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine1,424,078
Manacare Foundation195,357
Marie Stopes International2,981,229
Marlborough Brandt Group15,048
Medecins Sans Frontieres488,025
Medical Aid for Iraq392,500
Medical Aid for Iraqi Children22,500
Medical Aid for Palestinians81,892
Medical Emergency Relief International450,000
Medical Research Council3,175,003
Methodist Church Overseas16,764
Mines Advisory Group1,921,789
Motivation85,589
NACRO14,800
Nairobi Hospice Charitable Trust49,072
National Children's Homes5,913
New Age Access40,755
New Economics Foundation3,378
New Hope Rural Community Trust2,721
Ockenden Venture311,588
One World Action208,376
One World Broadcasting Trust66,005
Opportunity Trust197,620
Orbis International33,993
Overseas Development Institute (ODI)2,078,138
OXFAM11,581,358
Pattaya Orphanage Trust29,904
Plan International886,037
Plunkett Foundation11,059
Population Concern721,777
Project Ploughshare7,309
Red R29,000
Refugee Council9,000
Richmond Fellowship International70,641
RNIB240
Royal Agricultural Society6,020
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew78,023
Ryder Cheshire Mission100,000
South Africa Advanced Education Project677
South Africa Townships Health Fund72,000
SPANA10,290
Saigon Children's Charity4,285
Sandy Gall Afghan Appeal86,048
Save The Children Fund17,190,175
Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)349,918
Scottish Crop Research Institute69,830
Send A Cow31,375
Sightsavers152,333
Silsoe Research Institute520,431
Skillshare Africa1,609,499
Small Business Research Trust2,879
SOS Sahel International547,604
Southeast Asian Outreach50,001
Tear Fund686,293
Thomson Foundation71,169
Tourism Concern100
Toybox15,428
Traidcraft Exchange168,858
Trax Program Support30,936
Tropical Agriculture1,200
Tropical Health and Education Trust76,947
TUIREG34,056
UNAIS929,000
Uganda Aids Action Fund1,350
Uganda Society for Disabled Children90,972
UK Committee for UNICEF1,748,100
UK Foundation for People of the South Pacific222,175
UKJAID50,000
University of Warwick67,172
Urban Aid25,113
VetAid297,284
Village Service Trust15,055
Vision Aid Overseas3,491
Voluntary Service Overseas19,596,293
War on Want92,638
WaterAid844,922
Wells for India11,524
Wildlife Information Network59,668
Womankind39,133
Workers Educational Association4,371
World Conservation Monitoring43,554
World Conservation Union2,115
World University Service920,124
World Vision of Britain3,492,390
Worldwide Fund for Nature2,179,594
Y-Care International192,357
YES International389,702
You and Me34,250
Youth with A Mission116,614
Zimbabwe Trust56,650
Zoological Society of London69,024
Totals163,845,411

(1) Organisations registered as a charity with the Charity Commissioners in England or the Inland Revenue in Scotland.

(2) This represents expenditure channelled through NGOs for their own programmes and for development activities and emergency relief work undertaken on behalf of the Overseas Development Administration. It includes some research work where this is implemented by institutions which are within the definition of NGO given above.


3 Feb 1997 : Column WA125

1995-96 direct grants to non governmental organisations for work in Eastern Europe

Voluntary organisationAmount of direct grant awarded in financial year 1995-96
Active Learning Centre10,436
Aga Khan Foundation2,400,000
Balkans Relief5,000
BEARR Trust80
Bosnia Family Aid Appeal3,500
Bosnia Hercegovina Heritage1,500
British Helsinki Human Rights Group3,714
British Institute of International and Comparative Law232,569
British Association Central Eastern Europe110,565
British Executive Service Overseas367,351
British Red Cross Society6,076,800
British Trust for Conservation2,640
Care International UK473,790
Charities Advisory Trust23,500
Charities Aid Foundation952,279
Charities Evaluation Services93,451
Children in Crisis17,600
Conservation Foundation26,900
Enterprise Europe20,372
Feed The Children255,200
Healthprom5,000
Help Medical150,000
International Planned Parenthood Federation50,620
International Waterfowl and Wetland Research Bureau9,002
Islamic Relief Agency5,000
Joint Mission Hospital Equipment Board65,565
Mammal Society216
Marie Stopes International118,620
Medical Emergency Relief International124,158
National Institute Agricultural Botany245,350
Opportunity Trust1,018
OXFAM1,146,631
Plunkett Foundation315,001
Romanian Orphanage Trust83,108
RSPB890
Salvation Army28,000
Save The Children Fund862,209
Scottish Agricultural College452,605
Task Force Albania38,300
Tear Fund180,000
Thomson Foundation248,691
UK Institute for Conservation40
UKJAID33,000
University of Warwick7,225
Vision International41,000
Voluntary Service Overseas234,500
Warchild19,139
World Conservation Monitoring54,406
Worldwide Fund for Nature26,750
YLS International29,468
Young Enterprise3,148
East European Totals15,655,907

3 Feb 1997 : Column WA126


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