HC Deb 06 December 1989 vol 163 cc231-2W
Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the projects concerning the rehabilitation of people with disabilities which his Department is currently funding in developing countries; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what action he takes to consult organisations of people with disabilities in the countries concerned before making grants for projects concerning rehabilitation of people with disabilities in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maude

The following projects concerning the rehabilitation of people with disabilities are being funded from ODA's bilateral programmes in 1989/90:

Country and Project Bangladesh—Rehabilitation Institute and Hospital for the Disabled: Orthopaedic Surgeons. Fiji—Disabled Children in the Community Speech Therapist, Bailey Clinic. India—Assistance to Spastic Societies in Bombay, Calcutta and Delhi. Consultancies to Formulate Projects to Assist Various Disabled Groups. Sri Lanka—Cleft Lips and Palates.

Zimbabwe: provision of orthopaedic technicians, equipment and training for a hospital in Harare (recently completed). These Government-to-Government programmes result from official requests received by Her Majesty's Government; consultation with local groups is usually a matter for the recipient countries' authorities though in some cases officials, including specialist health advisers in ODA will have direct contact with beneficiary groups at an early stage.

Under the joint funding scheme, ODA also provides grants to United Kingdom non-governmental organisations operating in developing projects for the partial funding of their countries. JFS projects are normally executed by local organisations working with the United Kingdom NGOs. ODA is currently financing the following JFS projects:

Agency/Country and Project

Action on Disability and Development

Africa

  • Employment of Development Officer

India

  • Development and Training Group of People with Disability
  • Orthopaedic Workshop, Bangalore
  • Training Course and Extended Orthopaedic Workshop

Sudan

  • Orthopaedic Workshop, Nyala Society for Disabled

Tanzania

  • Development Programme for Disabled People

Uganda

  • Regionalise Management/Support, National Union Disabled People

Zimbabwe

  • Income Generation for Disabled People

British Red Cross Society

Papua New Guinea

  • Special Education Centre

Uganda

  • Mulago Hospital Orthopaedic Project

Help the Aged

India

  • Rehabilitation of Handicapped in Rural Areas

Kenya

  • Refracting Service

Impact Foundation

India

  • Leprosy Disability Prevention and Limitation

Leonard Cheshire Foundation

Ethiopia

  • Medical Education and Rehabilitation Centre

Malaysia

  • Far East Region Training Programme
  • Video Training

Richmond Fellowship

India

  • Bangalore Pilot Project, Mental Health Rehabilitation

Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind

Bangladesh

  • Community Based Rehabilitation
  • Manpower Development Programme and Primary Eye Care

Malawi

  • Ophthalmic Assistants Training

Solomon Islands

  • Eye Care Services in the Pacific

Further assistance for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities is provided through the heads of mission gift scheme, the heads of mission small projects scheme and the British volunteer programme; a list of these is not readily available.

The overseas aid programme will continue to respond positively to requests to provide assistance for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities. It will also continue to support programmes aimed at combating tropical diseases which result in disabling conditions.