House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 3 Jun 2003 (pt 66)

PRIME MINISTER

Convention on the Future of Europe

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what matters were discussed, and what papers were considered, at his meeting with Mr. Giscard d'Estaing on 19 May. [115668]

3 Jun 2003 : Column 254W

The Prime Minister: Our meeting focused on the work of the Convention on the Future of Europe. As mandated, the Convention is due to present its conclusions to the European Council at Thessaloniki, 20–21 June.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the US Administration on the restoration of the US dollar as Iraq's oil currency. [115896]

The Prime Minister: None.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the security situation in Afghanistan and its effect on humanitarian and reconstruction work. [115403]

Hilary Benn: The security situation continues to cause concern, and is hampering the operations of NGOs and UN agencies in the south and eastern provinces of Afghanistan. Reconstruction projects are continuing, however, although a lack of security may affect efforts to refurbish roads in some parts of the south and east.

The deployment of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) is designed to facilitate improved security in the regions and extend the authority of the Afghan Transitional Administration. The US have already deployed three PRTs to Gardez, Bamiyan and Kunduz provinces. The UK has recently announced its intention to lead a PRT in Mazaar-l-Shariff in the north of Afghanistan.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which non-governmental organisations have recently left Afghanistan citing security as their reason for evacuation. [115620]

Hilary Benn: I am not aware of any non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which have left Afghanistan due to the deteriorating security situation in parts of the south. In southern Afghanistan, particularly following the killing of an international ICRC worker in March 2003, some NGOs temporarily suspended their operations in the more remote areas and withdrew, either back to the regional centre at Kandahar, or to the capital, Kabul. Most of these, such as Mercy Corps International (MCI), Oxfam, Tear Fund, Action Contre La Faim (ACF) and Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), do, however, continue to operate. The major change as result of insecurity has been in their mode of operation, forcing them to concentrate on more secure areas around Kandahar.

Mr. Battle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which British non governmental organisations are working on reconstruction in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [115927]

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Hilary Benn: The following non-governmental organisations are registered in the United Kingdom and working on Afghanistan reconstruction:

CARE;

CAFOD—through CARITAS member agencies with offices in Afghanistan supporting local NGOs;

Actionaid;

Afghanaid;

Islamic Relief;

Joint Development Associates Ltd;

Tearfund;

Focus;

Hope Worldwide;

Ockenden;

Mercy Corps;

Muslim Hands;

Oxfam;

Aga Khan Foundation; and

Christian Aid.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much money promised by the Government to help rebuild Afghanistan has yet to be donated; and if he will make a statement. [116132]

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Hilary Benn: US $4.5 billion was pledged by donors at the Tokyo conference in January 2002 over a period of between one and five years, depending on the donor. US $1.8 billion was disbursed last year to Afghanistan. A similar amount has been pledged for the current financial year. Donors such as the US, who had only made one-year pledges at the Tokyo conference, used the Afghan Development Forum held in March 2003 to make new pledges. The total pledged now stands at US $5.2 billion.

Agency Workers

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many agency workers have been employed by the Department in each of the last two years; and at what cost to public funds. [115206]

Hilary Benn: DFID does not maintain a central record of agency workers employed in our headquarters offices in London and East Kilbride. We have obtained information directly from the various agencies we use, although not all agencies hold records for all the data requested.

The information set out in the following table is therefore incomplete, but does provide a reasonable approximation of the numbers and costs.

Agency workers

Financial year Agency staff numbers in DFID London Agency staff spend in DFID London £ Agency staff numbers in DFID East Kilbride Agency staff spend in East Kilbride £ Total of agency staff for both locations Total spend on agency staff for both locations £

2001–02 210 752,780 6 36,957 216 789,737

2002–03 131 827,166 49 277,642 180 1,104,808

Financial year	Agency staff numbers in DFID London	Agency staff spend in DFID London £	Agency staff numbers in DFID East Kilbride	Agency staff spend in East Kilbride £	Total of agency staff for both locations	Total spend on agency staff for both locations £
2001–02	210	752,780	6	36,957	216	789,737
2002–03	131	827,166	49	277,642	180	1,104,808

Aid (Overseas Territories)

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much aid has been given to Overseas Territories since 1993. [115340]

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's bilateral assistance to Overseas Territories for each of the UK financial years from 1993–94 to 2001–02 is shown in the following table. Figures for 2002–03 are not yet available but are expected to be published next month. These figures do not include any assistance which may have been allocated over the period under the EU Overseas Countries and Territories Decision.

£000

Country Total DFID programme

Anguilla 1993–94 3,271

1994–95 2,142

1995–96 1,226

1996–97 1,362

1997–98 2,520

1998–99 1,977

1999–00 2,058

2000–01 2,234

2001–02 1,847

British Virgin Islands 1993–94 1,515

1994–95 308

1995–96 592

1996–97 1,085

1997–98 604

1998–99 622

1999–00 517

2000–01 186

2001–02 89

Cayman Islands 1993–94 3

1994–95 86

1995–96 21

1996–97 0

1997–98 0

1998–99 23

1999–00 18

2000–01 20

2001–02 3

Montserrat 1993–94 5,689

1994–95 5,766

1995–96 6,554

1996–97 14,441

1997–98 37,866

1998–99 31,096

1999–00 22,640

2000–01 20,811

2001–02 24,417

Pitcairn Islands 1993–94 108

1994–95 180

1995–96 203

1996–97 160

1997–98 76

1998–99 148

1999–00 99

2000–01 18

2001–02 26

St. Helena 1993–94 9,057

1994–95 8,161

1995–96 9,267

1996–97 7,990

1997–98 8,765

1998–99 8,805

1999–00 9,363

2000–01 10,116

2001–02 10,106

Turks and Caicos Islands 1993–94 10,049

1994–95 4,387

1995–96 2,674

1996–97 3,031

1997–98 2,569

1998–99 3,808

1999–00 4,044

2000–01 2,848

2001–02 2,754

Bermuda 1993–94 24

1994–95 37

1995–96 30

1996–97 57

1997–98 30

1998–99 0

1999–00 13

2000–01 4

2001–02 0

Falkland Islands and Deps 1993–94 12

1994–95 88

1995–96 19

1996–97 4

1997–98 0

1998–99 0

1999–00 0

2000–01 0

2001–02 0

Gibraltar 1993–94 142

1994–95 179

1995–96 77

1996–97 118

1997–98 54

1998–99 28

1999–00 23

2000–01 27

2001–02 23

Country		Total DFID programme
Anguilla	1993–94	3,271
	1994–95	2,142
	1995–96	1,226
	1996–97	1,362
	1997–98	2,520
	1998–99	1,977
	1999–00	2,058
	2000–01	2,234
	2001–02	1,847
British Virgin Islands	1993–94	1,515
	1994–95	308
	1995–96	592
	1996–97	1,085
	1997–98	604
	1998–99	622
	1999–00	517
	2000–01	186
	2001–02	89

Cayman Islands	1993–94	3
	1994–95	86
	1995–96	21
	1996–97	0
	1997–98	0
	1998–99	23
	1999–00	18
	2000–01	20
	2001–02	3

Montserrat	1993–94	5,689
	1994–95	5,766
	1995–96	6,554
	1996–97	14,441
	1997–98	37,866
	1998–99	31,096
	1999–00	22,640
	2000–01	20,811
	2001–02	24,417
Pitcairn Islands	1993–94	108
	1994–95	180
	1995–96	203
	1996–97	160
	1997–98	76
	1998–99	148
	1999–00	99
	2000–01	18
	2001–02	26

St. Helena	1993–94	9,057
	1994–95	8,161
	1995–96	9,267
	1996–97	7,990
	1997–98	8,765
	1998–99	8,805
	1999–00	9,363
	2000–01	10,116
	2001–02	10,106

Turks and Caicos Islands	1993–94	10,049
	1994–95	4,387
	1995–96	2,674
	1996–97	3,031
	1997–98	2,569
	1998–99	3,808
	1999–00	4,044
	2000–01	2,848
	2001–02	2,754

Bermuda	1993–94	24
	1994–95	37
	1995–96	30
	1996–97	57
	1997–98	30
	1998–99	0
	1999–00	13
	2000–01	4
	2001–02	0

Falkland Islands and Deps	1993–94	12
	1994–95	88
	1995–96	19
	1996–97	4
	1997–98	0
	1998–99	0
	1999–00	0
	2000–01	0
	2001–02	0

Gibraltar	1993–94	142
	1994–95	179
	1995–96	77
	1996–97	118
	1997–98	54
	1998–99	28
	1999–00	23
	2000–01	27
	2001–02	23

3 Jun 2003 : Column 257W

Bilateral Aid

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which countries receive direct budget support from the Department; how much; and how much total bilateral aid each of these countries receives. [116774]

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Hilary Benn: The amount and forms of total bilateral assistance that DFID has given to individual countries is shown in tables 7.1 to 7.5 in the DFID publication, "Statistics on International Development". The 2002 edition contains figures relating to the years 1997–98 to 2001–02, the latest for which data are available. A copy can be found in the House of Commons Library, or alternately, on DFID's website at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Pubs/files/SID2002 main.pdf

In these tables, the column headed 'Programme Aid' is non-project financing that benefits the Central Government budget. In the same set of tables, the column titled 'Total DFID Programme' shows the total bilateral assistance given to a country in that year by DFID. In some cases, budget support is given to a particular sector as part of a sector-wide initiative. These figures are included in the 'Project or Sector Aid' column, but the element supporting sector budgets is not separately recorded.

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