§ 9. Mr. Ian Bruce (South Dorset)If she will make a statement on the Government's assistance to street children projects in Guatemala. [46873]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Mr. George Foulkes)Although we have no direct development programme in Guatemala, we provide assistance for street children through the joint funding scheme that supports NGOs that work with street children, and through our contributions to the European Commission's programme.
§ Mr. BruceI thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply and remind him of the excellent work that my constituent Bruce Harris does with Casa Alianza in Guatemala. Will the hon. Gentleman's Department look particularly at indirect aid to try to get law and order sorted out in countries such as Guatemala, because street children are being persecuted by quasi-judicial organisations and people are not being punished by the courts there, and that causes even more problems?
§ Mr. FoulkesWe do financially support Casa Alianza and our contribution to the European Commission's programme is £23 million, a not insubstantial amount. We are working in Brazil, Ecuador, Kenya, India, South Africa and many other countries with street children. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will agree that that is a significant contribution by the British Government.