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12 May 2008 : Column 1317W—continued
| Table 2: Imputed DFID share of multilateral official development assistance (ODA) 2004-05 to 2006-07 | |||
| £000 | |||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
The DFID imputed share of multilateral ODA cannot be broken down by sector. A full statistical report of DFID's international development expenditure is published annually and may be found at:
Burma: Storms
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Burma following the recent cyclone; and what UK assistance has been offered to Burma; [204620]
(2) what steps the Government are taking to seek to ensure that humanitarian agencies are permitted access to cyclone-affected parts of Burma; and if he will make a statement. [204621]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the statement that I made in the House on 8 May 2008, Official Report, column 863.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on carbon offsetting in each of the last three years; and to which companies payments for carbon offsetting have been made in each such year. [204111]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) is a member of the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund (GCOF). The GCOF aims to fulfil the Government's commitment to offset emissions attributable to all official and ministerial air travel in central Government. It is available to all central Government Departments and provides a simple and cost-effective way to offset, as well as ensuring high environmental integrity. The GCOF runs for an initial period of three years (2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09).
The GCOF is being managed by EEA Fund Management Ltd. who won the contract to source and deliver 255,000 Certified Emission Reduction Credits, with a provision for a further 50,000 credits over three years from a range of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. Credits will be supplied from the project portfolio of Trading Emissions Plc, to whom EEA is the investment adviser.
DFID has to date contributed £175,741 to the scheme, paid during 2007-08 in respect of air travel during 2006-07.
DFID is currently focussing its efforts on reducing carbon emissions from its estate, including the implementation of equipment and procedures to maximise energy efficiency equipment, which for instance has in recent months reduced our electricity consumption in our London Headquarters by over 10 per cent. We were also recently awarded the Energy Efficiency Accreditation certification. Once these measures have been implemented we will make appropriate arrangements to offset any residual carbon emissions.
Departmental Data Protection
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2008, Official Report, column 1182W, on departmental data protection, if he will include information assurance data on data loss incidents in previous years in his Department's next annual report. [199178]
Mr. Malik: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179 and the written ministerial statement made my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 17 December 2007, Official Report, column 98WS. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data.
The interim report of 17 December 2007 committed to put in place a programme to examine and improve data handling procedures. An update on this commitment
will be included in the final report, expected in spring 2008, and this report will detail the information to be included by Departments on data loss in their annual reports
Developing Countries: Climate Change
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the significance of policies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions related to energy for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals related to the world's poorest countries. [203551]
Mr. Thomas: Our assessment is that policies to reduce energy-related carbon dioxide emissions need not limit efforts to improve energy access in the world's poorest countries; indeed these two objectives could in some instances be complementary.
Policies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions will include adopting cleaner technologies, improving energy efficiency and increasing the use of renewable energy. In the longer term it will require the use of emerging technologies such as carbon capture and storage.
In developing countries, improved access to reliable and affordable energy services is needed in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Energy access is lowest in rural areas, notably in sub-Saharan Africa and in South Asia, often beyond the reach of grid-connected supplies. In these cases, decentralised energy production, using a wide range of renewable and conventional technologies, may offer the best solutions for increasing access to poor households and communities. A recent study by the World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme concluded that renewable energy is more economical than conventional energy for many such applications.
Developing Countries: Education
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department has provided for education in recent humanitarian responses in (a) Kenya, (b) Mozambique, (c) Bangladesh and (d) Chad. [202752]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided both direct and indirect support for education as part of its global response to recent humanitarian crises. In Bangladesh, the UK and other donors provided 400 temporary classrooms following the cyclone in November 2007. Other DFID-funded immediate relief helped to buy textbooks and other learning material for children in the affected areas, as well as providing technical support to help the Bangladesh Government develop a long-term school reconstruction plan.
In Kenya, Mozambique and Chad direct support to education was not provided early on in the crises as DFID's humanitarian response aimed to address the most basic humanitarian needs first—shelter, food, clean water and health.
UK humanitarian support is also provided through the UN's Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) where DFID remains the largest donor. In 2006, the CERF released approximately £500,000 to UNICEF
for education interventions in Chad. Of this allocation, the UK's share amounts to approximately £100,000. Since the start of 2008, Mozambique has been allocated £2.4 million from the CERF, with provisions used towards the education sector.
Developing Countries: HIV Infection
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is for tackling HIV/AIDS in the developing world in the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [204723]
Gillian Merron: Following a public consultation, the UK Government are currently updating “Taking Action - The UK’s strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world”. The updated strategy is due to be launched in the near future.
Developing Countries: Human Rights
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government have taken to promote and protect human rights in developing countries. [204169]
Gillian Merron: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given to his previous question on 28 April, Official Report, column 369W, which gives specific examples of how the UK Government have promoted human rights in developing countries.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office leads the Government's efforts to promote human rights abroad and the Department for International Development (DFID) supports this in developing countries. DFID provides funding to partner governments once assessments have been made to ensure they are committed to respecting human rights as well as reducing poverty and strengthening financial management and accountability. The UK Government policy on integrating human rights into development is set out in the DFID strategy paper: “Realising human rights for poor people”, at
Drugs: Patents
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department’s policy is on patent pools for essential medicines. [201942]
Gillian Merron: The UK Government believe that there is merit in examining the benefits that voluntarily established patent pools could bring in facilitating access to medicines. The Department for International Development is participating in a process organised by UNITAID, the international drug purchase facility, which is examining the feasibility of establishing a patent pool for antiretroviral medicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Gaza: UN Relief and Works Agency
Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department gives to the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency in Gaza. [204190]
Mr. Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) has committed £100 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees in the region for the period 2007-12. This will increase our support from £15.6 million in 2007-08, to £19 million in 2008-09 and then progressively to £23.4 million in 2011-12. Around 10 per cent. of this funding is linked to UNRWA achieving targeted improvements of its management and service delivery.
DFID funding helps UNRWA provide health, education and other services to 4.5 million Palestinian refugees, including over a million refugees in Gaza and over 700,000 in the West Bank. 70 per cent. of Gazans are registered refugees and will therefore benefit from the support we provide to UNRWA. We expect more than 30 per cent. of our funding to UNWRA to be allocated to Gaza.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Subsidies
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of farmers in (a) Forest of Dean constituency and (b) England have not yet received their Single Farm Payment for (i) 2005, (ii) 2006 and (iii) 2007; and if he will make a statement. [204032]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 8 May 2008]: Detailed analysis of all the payments made under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) is not yet available. Once the remaining scheme payments have been completed a decision will be taken on the level of detail that will be published.
The proportion of English claimants who have not yet received SPS payments are:
2005: 8
2006: 45
2007: 8.3 per cent.
2005 and 2006 numbers are too low to register as meaningful percentages and the outstanding payments for these years relate to complex cases, mainly involving legal and probate issues.
RPA is working to finalise remaining payments as soon as possible.
Air Pollution
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at how many sites in England levels of (a) carbon monoxide, (b) sulphur dioxide and (c) nitrogen dioxide are monitored. [204301]
Jonathan Shaw: The number of sites monitoring levels of the pollutants is currently in flux due to preparations for the implementation of the EU Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe. The number of sites currently in operation is as follows:
| Number of sites | ||
Once the directive monitoring requirements are fully implemented the number of sites will be:
| Number of sites | ||
Air Pollution: EU Law
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had on the introduction of the EU Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe. [204299]
Jonathan Shaw: The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions on the new ambient air quality directive.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on changes to the UK automatic monitoring network in preparation for the introduction of the EU Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe. [204300]
Jonathan Shaw: During the negotiation of the EU Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe, DEFRA undertook a review of the automatic monitoring networks taking into account the requirements of the directive.
The changes to the Automatic Urban and Rural, and Hydrocarbons networks fall into three broad areas:
(i) A reduction in the number of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide monitors, commensurate with the generally low levels of both pollutants currently found. However, there will be increased sulphur dioxide monitoring in some areas around particular industrial hotspots.
(ii) Movement of oxides of nitrogen monitors from agglomerations to zones, and from urban background to roadside.
(iii) The creation of a PM2.5 network, and changes to the PM10 network. In addition to setting the minimum number of PM monitors to be operated, the directive specifies the ratio of PM10:PM2.5 and urban background: roadside sites which must be operated; in both cases this ratio must be between 2:1 and 1:2.
the closure or removal from the network of 20 complete sites
the opening or affiliation into the network of 33 new sites (mainly for PM10/PM2.5 and oxides of nitrogen)
the removal of 51 carbon monoxide analysers
the removal of 32 and the addition of five sulphur dioxide analysers
the movement and/or addition of 29 oxides of nitrogen sites
the addition of 67 PM2.5 sites
the movement and/or addition of 21 PM10 sites
the movement of 11 benzene sites
the removal of 13 and the addition of four ozone sites
To date the following have been completed:
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