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Lord Skelmersdale: I am very grateful. Like the noble Baroness, I hope there is not a need for a letter. But if there is, I shall receive it very gratefully, and I am sure that I will understand it at that point. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

On Question, Whether Clause 9 shall stand part of the Bill?

Lord Higgins: One of the advantages of sitting in this room is that one can hear Big Ben. I have only three
 
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very brief points on the clause, which is about the functions exercisable by the non-executive committee. First, the committee has to scrutinise the performance of the chief executive, but, as we have pointed out before, no one seems to be scrutinising the performance of the chairman.

Secondly, there is a kind of throwaway line about Northern Ireland here. After the interesting exchanges we had on the Civil Partnership Bill last week as far as Northern Ireland is concerned, I am not clear why that is not spelt out in rather more detail.

Thirdly, it is said that the committee will contribute to and keep under review the strategic direction. I am not the least bit clear why the whole organisation, the non-executive committee and the rest of the board, are not simply all working together to look at the strategy. To have it divided so that the rest of the board decides the strategy, but the non-executive committee contributes to it and then monitors it, seems an excessively complicated system and not one likely to produce a united front on the overall position.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: I will be as quick as I can, as I too am aware of Big Ben. The non-executive committee does not scrutinise the chairman, who chairs that committee, because that is the function of the Secretary of State, whereas the committee does scrutinise the other functions.

I wonder whether I need to answer any other point. Perhaps I can write to the noble Lord on the Northern Ireland point. The provision of Clause 5 objectives will be enacted in Northern Ireland by Order in Council, exactly the same as in the proposals we considered the other day—

Lord Higgins: I hope that we are not going to deal with it as we did on the Civil Partnership Bill, which was an unmitigated disaster.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The problem in Northern Ireland was not the process—an Order in Council—but the strong views, I think, held by those who have affiliations to Northern Ireland. I think that that produced the problems that we ended up in.

Clause 9 agreed to.

Baroness Andrews: This might be a convenient time for the Committee to adjourn until Thursday 8 July at 3.15 p.m.

The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Lord Tordoff): The Committee stands adjourned until Thursday at 3.15 p.m.

Written Statements

Tuesday 6 July 2004


 
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UNAIDS

The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development has made the following Statement.

I am announcing today a new commitment of £36 million over four years (2004–07) for UNAIDS (the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS). This will support the UNAIDS secretariat, its country co-ordinators, and the 10 co-sponsor agencies that together make up the Joint Programme1. The new commitment represents a tripling of our core funding to UNAIDS compared with the past four years. DfID is finalising a new UK strategic partnership with UNAIDS to accompany the multi-year financing arrangement, linked to UNAIDS' own work programme. DfID is also increasing its direct funding to several co-sponsor agencies including the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

UK funding will enable UNAIDS to expand its work to ensure developing countries affected by HIV and AIDS can access appropriate and co-ordinated support from donors. UNAIDS will be working with governments to take forward the "Three Ones" initiative, which stresses the responsibility donors have to work through one national HIV and AIDS action plan, through one co-ordinating authority and to work to one monitoring and evaluation framework in each country.

UK funding will also support UNAIDS' advocacy work. This includes helping to ensure new or neglected issues are taken up, and building partnerships across government, the private sector and civil society. UNAIDS will be working with the World Health Organisation and others to ensure that treatment programmes address equity and access issues and that a proper balance is maintained between prevention and treatment. UK funding will also support UNAIDS' technical work, including helping countries to access new funding and ensuring it is used properly. UNAIDS has a strong track record in this area.

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Mr Hilary Benn) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
 
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I am today publishing a DfID position paper on sexual and reproductive health and rights. It describes progress to date and sets out what remains to be done. It will form the basis for planning future investment and activities. The paper complements the UK's Call for Action on HIV/AIDS and DfID's target strategy papers on Better Health for Poor People and Realising Human Rights for Poor People.

The paper recognises sexual and reproductive health and rights as central to human development and to achieving the millennium development goals. The UK is firmly committed to the programme of action of the International Conference on Population and Development of 1994 and its targets of reproductive health for all by 2015. The paper states.; our continued commitment to work with country governments and partners to achieve improved maternal and newborn health, accessible, high quality family planning choices, elimination of unsafe abortion, reduced incidence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, greater awareness of sexual health and reduced risky behaviour.

The paper recognises the progress that has been made since 1994, but also highlights new challenges, including the increased burden of HIV and AIDS. DfID will use opportunities to integrate HIV and sexual and reproductive health services in ways that respond better to people's needs, especially those of women and young people.

I am placing a copy of the paper in the Library of the House. It is also available on DfID's website at www.dfid.gov.uk.

Today I am announcing increased funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The UK will be providing £80 million over four years (2004–07) in core funding to UNFPA to support its work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, population and development, and gender. UNFPA's work is also a critical part of HIV/AIDS prevention efforts within the framework of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Intelligence and Security Committee: Annual Report 2003–04

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has today laid before the House the Government's response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's annual report for 2003–04. Copies have also been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Iraq: Export Licence Applications

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): Following consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved two licences to export military list goods to Iraq. The arms embargo against Iraq remains in place under United Nations Security
 
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Council Resolutions 1483 (22 May 2003) and 1546 (8 June 2004). UNSCR 1483 (2003) includes an exception for "arms and related materiel required by the (Coalition Provisional) Authority to serve the purposes of this and other related resolutions".

Accordingly, prior to the hand over of power on 28 June and the Coalition Provisional Authority ceasing to exist, Her Majesty's Government considered it appropriate to grant licences for the export of the military listed goods on these two applications for use by private security companies, one working under contract to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the other working under contract to the Coalition Provisional Authority, the US Department of State and the project management office in Iraq. The licences are consistent with the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria. Future applications will continue to be assessed on a case by case basis against the UN embargo and consolidated criteria, taking into account the circumstances prevailing at the time.

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