Child Poverty, East and Central Europe (Hansard, 30 April 2001)

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, the Department for International Development's policy in central and eastern Europe, as elsewhere, is focused on the reduction of poverty. We are determined to do all we can to mobilise the international system to meet the international development targets by 2015 in order that today's poor children do not become the parents of larger numbers of children living in extreme poverty in the next generation. In those countries of central and eastern Europe where the problems are most acute we are supporting specific children's welfare and social assistance reform programmes.

§ Baroness Massey of Darwen
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that encouraging reply. However, is she aware that some countries of eastern Europe have worse levels of child poverty than many developing countries? Does she agree that unless western governments are vigorously active in this area the situation will create more distress and instability in the region?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, I agree with my noble friend. The transition to a market economy in central and eastern Europe is producing rising levels of child poverty, which is a cause of great concern. It has had an impact on the provision of child services.
The Department for International Development increasingly focuses its bilateral assistance on the poorer countries in the region. We are supporting specific children's welfare and social programmes, for example, in Romania, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Serbia. We are also working with the multilateral organisations because we feel that the leverage we can generate from working with those organisations is important. I agree with my noble friend. We need vigorously to tackle the problem.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, where European Union or World Bank funds are made available to central and eastern Europe, can the Minister assure the House that primary education and public health will be protected along the lines promised 432 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer? Can the noble Baroness tell the House whether that aim is working in practice?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, the noble Baroness refers to the European Union and the World Bank. A number of organisations are working in the area of health, including the Department for International Development. For example, in Bosnia we are supporting healthcare reform. In Kosovo we give management support to Pristina University Hospital. In Serbia we support the Ministry of Health
I am aware that the European Union and the World Bank have a number of programmes in the region. However, the Department for International Development is not supporting primary education projects in the region.

§ Baroness Cox
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the many economic and social problems in eastern and central Europe, highlighted by the excellent report of the European Children's Trust, The Silent Crisis, are often associated with large numbers of orphans and abandoned children. Is DfID supporting any programmes to help orphaned and abandoned children? The policy has tended to be to put them in often unsatisfactory institutional care. Is DfID helping to promote a preferable form of foster family care?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, Romania in particular has suffered from a legacy of inadequate government financing and poor use of resources in relation to children's welfare. We have a major £3 million, three-year programme of assistance to the national authority for child protection and adoption. The money is being used in a variety of ways. For example, a consultant has advised on options to improve current adoption practices. With the authority, we have looked at management structures. We have considered training and development, and other areas about which I am happy to write to the noble Baroness in more detail.

§ Baroness Whitaker
My Lords, now that the United Kingdom has become the fourth largest donor to poor countries, a near 40 cent rise having been achieved over previous years, can we not do more for this very needy area?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, it was announced last week that the United Kingdom has become the world's fourth largest donor. We are focusing more on poorer countries in central and eastern Europe. However, at the end of March 2003 we shall no longer have programmes in the better-off countries of the region—for example, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Baltics, Slovakia and Slovenia. But we shall be focusing on the two candidate countries, Bulgaria and Romania, and on the Balkans.

§ Baroness Rawlings
My Lords, are not the two charities—the Free and Democratic Bulgaria (Children) Foundation works with Britain's Childhope—exactly 433 the kind of children's charities which DfID can support, especially as they are being forced to close this year because of an EU reduction of funds? Does the Minister know that they have applied to DfID for funds but to no avail? What can Her Majesty's Government do for these worthy causes?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, the noble Baroness has asked a number of questions in this House on specific charities which have approached the Department for International Development for funding. As the noble Baroness is aware, we have clear criteria against which we assess those applications. I am happy to consider the two organisations to which she refers and write to her with more information.

§ Lord Watson of Richmond
My Lords, will the Minister acknowledge the clear determination that the new Government of Romania have shown to come to grips with the problems of child poverty and, in particular, with the scandal of children's homes and orphanages? Given the symbolic as well as the actual importance of that, will she assure the House that Romania will be given a high priority in the programmes, not just financially, but also in terms of know-how? If we can succeed in Romania, it will be a guide to the rest of eastern and central Europe.

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, as I said in answer to the noble Baroness, Lady Cox, we have a £3 million programme in Romania that covers a number of areas. The international community is working very hard. I agree that the Government of Romania are working hard to develop alternatives for children in institutions. The EC has been foremost in support of that effort and has allocated £15 million for spending in 2001. The noble Lord is right to stress the importance not only of giving financial support but of developing the skills and capacity of people in those countries so that we build for the long term.