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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 2 November 1998
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Cash Limits
Dr. Vis: To ask the Attorney-General what changes he proposes for the Crown Prosecution Service's cash and running costs limits for 1998-99. [58160]
The Attorney-General: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for Class VIII Vote 4 will be increased by £8,253,000 from £220,673,000 to £228,926,000 and the gross running costs limit for Class VIII Vote 4 will be increased by £4,153,000 from £216,767,000 to £220,920,000.
The cash limit increase of £8,253,000 includes funding to meet the transitional costs of the internal reforms set out in the Glidewell report "The Review of the Crown Prosecution Service", published in June 1998 (Cm 3960).
It also provides for further rationalisation of the department's estate and the implementation of a number of criminal justice initiatives including those arising from the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
The increases will be offset by a transfer of £1,153,000 from the Home Office, the take up of £1,800,000 of the department's end year flexibility of £3,400,000, as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1998, Official Report, columns 131-36, and a charge of £5,300,000 to the Reserve. It will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she plans to provide a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon tabled on 7 October 1998. [58000]
Ms McCafferty:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the Government's policy on working to eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation in developing countries. [57534]
Clare Short:
Female genital mutilation is both a health and a human rights issue. It contravenes several United Nations Conventions. The Government's policy is to try to persuade countries where the practice occurs to take steps to reduce and eventually eliminate it. Most Governments oppose it, and welcome assistance from donor partners to change attitudes within their countries. In other cases, we try to exert influence through quiet
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diplomacy and by providing support to strengthen laws against harmful traditional practices. Supporting efforts to help women exercise their human rights is a key part of the Department for International Development's (DFID) strategy.
At the 1998 session of the UN Commission on Human Rights the UK co-sponsored a resolution--"The elimination of violence against women"--which called upon states to eradicate traditional or customary practices, particularly female genital mutilation, that are harmful or discriminate against women, through the development and implementation of national legislation and policies prohibiting such practices, the prosecution of perpetrators, awareness-raising programmes, education and training.
Care for the consequences of female genital mutilation in poorer countries is extremely limited. Many complications go untreated. We are seeking to help in three main ways:
Ms McCafferty:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which young girls' and women's health projects have included education on female genital mutilation in each year since the endorsement of the 1994 Cairo Plan of Action by the UK Government; which NGOs have carried out those projects and in which countries; and what was the total amount of funding for these projects in (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997. [57535]
Clare Short:
This information could not be fully collected in the time available. I shall write to my hon. Friend and place a copy in the Library of this House.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid and assistance the United Kingdom has given to the Russian people following their recent currency crises. [57929]
Clare Short:
The Department for International Development continues to provide bilateral technical assistance to Russia via the Know-How Fund. This extends across a range of economic and social sectors. We also continue to contribute via various multilateral agencies, in particular the EU/Tacis programme. In addition, we are monitoring carefully the need for humanitarian assistance this winter. With our G7 partners we are encouraging the Russian Government to adopt appropriate economic policies to allow a resumption of IMF and other financial flows.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's current relationship with the Government of Sudan with regard to aid projects. [57765]
Clare Short:
We do not provide aid through Government of Sudan channels. Our bilateral development programme was terminated in 1991. Our substantial
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programme of humanitarian assistance, £34 million since January including our share of EC assistance, is channelled through UN agencies and international non-government organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross. Some small project grants are provided direct to local grass roots organisations.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what provision has been made in her Department's budget in the financial years (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02 as a result of the privatisation of the Commonwealth Development Corporation. [57612]
Clare Short:
Some of the anticipated proceeds from the sale of CDC were taken into account in the provision agreed for the aid programme in the Comprehensive Spending Review announced in July. The precise level of proceeds received from the sale will depend on the prevailing market conditions. It would not be appropriate for market and commercial sensitivity reasons to give estimates of likely proceeds.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of her Department's budget will be made available to UK-based non-governmental organisations, in (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000, (c) 2000-01 and (d) 2001-02. [57610]
Clare Short:
In 1998-99 about 6 per cent. of the Department's bilateral aid programme budget will be channelled directly through non-governmental (NGOs) and civil society organisations by means of the Joint Funding Scheme and support for Voluntary Service Overseas. NGOs are also contracted by the Department for International Development (DFID) to deliver projects within country programmes; these arrangements are handled within regional programme budgets, and it is not possible to give a total figure.
DFID's annual resource allocation exercise, which is now under-way will determine future allocations within the aid programme. The outcome of this exercise will be reported in the Departmental Report in April 1999.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries referred to in paragraph 16.5 of the Comprehensive Spending Review (Cm 4011) in which she currently considers that (a) her Department is able to involve itself in a partnership to eradicate poverty; and (b) those where it is not possible to involve the host Government in an effective partnership. [57611]
Clare Short:
The White Paper on international development which we published a year ago set out this Government's plans for helping to reduce world poverty by working in partnership with poor countries which are themselves committed to poverty reduction.
It is not helpful and would be simplistic to try to list countries with which partnership may or may not be possible. We provide an analysis of progress in each country where we have a significant programme within
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the framework of the country strategy process. Completed country strategy papers are publicly available. They outline in detail our view of the prospects for development and partnerships.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proposals the Government have to increase investment in family planning and sexual and reproductive health to match the planned increases in the overseas aid budget. [57194]
Clare Short:
We wish to pursue focused investment and action that contributes directly to poor countries' attainment of the international development goals. Strengthening health systems' capacity to meet basic needs--including reproductive health needs--will be a priority theme for new expenditure.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what priority the Government give to adolescent sexual health education and services within its human development targets set out in the White Paper, Eliminating World Poverty. [57195]
Clare Short:
The White Paper sets out our intention to help ensure that all people, whether younger or older, are able to access and benefit from sexual and reproductive health care information and services. We know that young people are particularly vulnerable to sexual infection and dangers associated with pregnancy. Our approach will increasingly emphasise and respond to their needs.
by ensuring wide awareness of the issue;
by funding research;
by supporting activities and projects designed to change behaviour in the long term; for example, we finance local and regional workshops to identify priorities at field level to which donors can respond.
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