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Written Answers
Monday, 23 February 2004.
Sudan
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much humanitarian and development aid to southern Sudan in 2004 has been earmarked for (a) United Nations programmes; (b) local and international non-governmental organisations; and (c) organisations taking part in the peace process.[HL965]
Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): As indicated in our Country Engagement Paper (CEP) we intend to work with a range of partners—including the UN, Red Cross and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs). We will continue to support organisations involved in the peace process, such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Secretariat; the Joint Military Commission (JMC); and the Verification and Monitoring Team (VMT), as long as is required.
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What will be the effect of the peace agreement on the existing United Kingdom budget for southern Sudan; and what funds are allocated to post-conflict reconstruction.[HL966]
Baroness Amos: We intend to increase our programme in Sudan substantially if a peace agreement is reached and implemented. Initially, the majority of our resources will contine to go towards humanitarian needs, but with a greater emphasis towards longer-term development, post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction. Work on implementation of the peace agreement, for example local-level peace building and reintegration of ex-combatants, will require early funding.
Our objectives for Sudan are set out in our Country Engagement Paper (CEP), a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Afghanistan
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they support the proposal for a further international conference on reconstruction in Afghanistan; and whether the United Kingdom has fulfilled its pledges made at Bonn and Tokyo.[HL967]
Baroness Amos: The UK supports the planned international conference on reconstruction in Afghanistan in March 2004. DfID has provided £110 million in the 21 months since March 2002, out of £200
million pleged over five years. In total, the United Kingdom has provided over £212 million in development assistance since September 2001.Hutton Inquiry
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether in the light of the statement by the Prime Minister of 29 January, a main objective of the appointment of the Hutton inquiry was to secure the withdrawal of an accusation against the Prime Minister.[HL1140]
Baroness Amos: I refer you to the Prime Minister's statement to the House of Commons of 28 January which made clear the reason why he decided to establish the Hutton inquiry.
Iraq: Unemployment
Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How the current estimated rate of unemployment in Iraq compares with the rate one year previously.[HL1243]
Baroness Amos: No official figures of the Iraqi labour force exist, so only broad estimates of unemployment are possible. Current estimates suggest neither a significant rise nor fall in unemployment over the last year. The United Nations and World Bank social and economic needs assessments on Iraq last year estimated that the unemployment rate before the 2003 war was around 30 per cent. Unofficial estimates of the current unemployment rate are in the range of 20 to 30 per cent.
In addition to the numbers unemployed, a significant proportion of Iraq's workforce is underemployed. We estimate that the total of both unemployed and underemployed is currently in the region of 50 per cent. Figures for underemployment before the conflict do not exist.
Iraq: Water Supply
Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their current estimate of the percentage of Iraq's population which has access to drinking water; and what is their estimate of that statistic one year previously.[HL1244]
Baroness Amos: Until the Gulf War in 1991 safe water was accessible by over 95 per cent of the urban and 75 per cent of the rural populations of Iraq. The last reliable pre-conflict figures are for the year 2000 and indicate that by that time coverage had dropped to 92 per cent and 46 per cent respectively. Deterioration of the system was particularly bad in the south,
including Basrah, due to the policies of the former regime.As a consequence of the conflict and subsequent looting it was estimated that the water sub-sector coverage deteriorated by an additional 50 per cent in some governorates, leading to intermittent supply and further degraded water quality. Overall, approximate estimates indicate that the immediate post-conflict coverage had fallen to 60 per cent of the urban and 30 per cent of the rural populations.
In Baghdad, compact water treatment units have now been rehabilitated. Measures to secure water treatment plants and prevent further looting have also been implemented. Hundreds of critical breaks in the water network have been repaired, increasing flow by 2 million litres per day. Additional new construction is ongoing at Baghdad's Sharkh Dijlah plant, which will add 40 per cent or 2.25 million litres per day to the water supply of eastern Baghdad by May 2004, benefiting 640,000 residents.
In Basrah, rehabilitation work has restored the water supply to pre-conflict levels and by spring 2004 the quality and volume of fully treated water supplied to Basrah will surpass the pre-war conditions of 17,000 cubic metres per hour of partially treated water. By the summer of 2004 rehabilitation of the Sweet Water Canal, which supplies water to Basrah, will be completed. This will allow its design capacity to be achieved, further benefiting 1.75 million residents.
Cannings Case: "Safeguarding Children" Consultation
Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will take account of the recent Court of Appeal judgment in R v Cannings when considering the responses to the Department for Education and Skills consultation on safeguarding children with particular reference to the section headed "Factitious or Induced Illness (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy)".[HL1017]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): Yes. The "Safeguading Children" consultation period ends on 2 April and we will consider the implications of the Court of Appeal judgment, along with the responses to the consultation, before any decision is reached on the content of new guidance about child protection arrangements for staff in the education service.
Schools: Funding for Extended Programmes
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What additional financial support they intend to make available to schools which provide extended school programmes, such as supervised homework
- and sport after school hours: and how it will be allocated.[HL1197]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: In addition to the funding which I set out in my reply to my noble friend's previous question about support for extended schools, the Department for Education and Skills has made £75 million available through the Standards Fund for study support (out of school hours) activities in 2003–04. From 2004–05 the funding has been amalgamated into the School Development Grant and schools should expect to receive the same amount for study support as they did last year plus 4 per cent inflation proofing. The New Opportunities Fund is also providing just over £20 million to support out of school hour sports opportunities in schools within the school sport partnership programme—a third of schools in England are already within a partnership.
Connexions Service
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are satisfied with the development to date of the Connexions Service; how many local authority areas are now covered by the service; and what services they are currently providing or procuring for young people.[HL1199]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Connexions Service has made excellent progress since its launch on a phased basis in 2001. The network of Connexions Partnerships was completed in April 2003 covering every local authority in England.
The Connexions Service is on course to meet its main target of reducing the proportion of young people aged 16 to 18 who are not in education, employment or training by 10 per cent by November 2004. Research commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills has concluded that joint working between agencies providing services for young people has improved since Connexions was launched. In another departmental survey, young people rated the Connexions Service highly: over 90 per cent of those who had used Connexions were satisfied with the services provided.
Connexions offers initial information and advice on the full range of learning options to 19 and beyond; in depth guidance and support, or access to specialist help, on anything that might prove a barrier to learning; and access to personal development opportunities to help a young person grow into a rounded independent citizen. In offering development opportunities and personal support, Connexions works with youth and social services, health services and a range of voluntary and community organisations. The service is available in Connexions one-stop shops and community access points; and in schools and colleges. Over 2 million visits were made by young people to Connexions front-line services in 2003. All young people will have access to advice and
guidance through Connexions Direct (18 hours a day 365 days a year) by April 2004.
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