§ Baroness Rawlingsasked Her Majesty's Government:
What of the cash plans allocations for 1998–99 have been allocated to (a) governmental bodies in developing countries and (b) to non-governmental organisations. [HL1121]
§ Baroness AmosWe do not set budgets by the institution used to channel development assistance; we are increasingly focusing our efforts on outputs. Retrospective analyses of bilateral expenditure through UK non-governmental organisations are published annually inStatistics on International Development, which is available in the Library of this House.
§ Baroness Rawlingsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will list recipient projects and the funds allocated to them by the United Kingdom bilateral aid budget towards sound policies and pro-poor economic growth in 1998–99 in Uganda. [HLI124]
§ Baroness AmosAll projects under the bilateral aid budget in Uganda are designed to promote sound policies and/or pro-poor economic growth. In November of last year a list of all active projects in Uganda (and India) was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses, in response to a question in another place from the honourable Member for South West Devon to my right honourable Friend the Secretary of State for International Development. The list details the name of each project and the funds committed to each for the entire life of the project.
§ Baroness Rawlingsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which projects received what funds from the United Kingdom aid budget towards good governance in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99. [HL1137]
§ Baroness AmosInformation on policy targeting is available from DFIDs Policy Information System (PIMS) for bilateral projects with a commitment value of £100, 000 or more. PIMS covers around 70 per cent. of bilateral expenditure only. On 1 April 1998, the definition of good government changed to exclude human rights, which are now covered separately in an extended definition which includes economic and social rights as well as civil and political rights. For comparison purposes, the attached listing therefore includes all projects which targeted good government as a principal policy objective in 1997–98 and those which144WA targeted either good governance or human rights as a principal policy objective in 1998–99 to date.
Projects marked Principal for Human Rights: 1998–99 Country Project/Programme Title Commitment Asia Regional Paticipatory Action Research with Migrant Children and Youth 245, 000 Bangladesh Community Development II 350, 000 China China: Shanghai Foster Care and Training Project 621, 016 Colombia Civil Conflict (New PHS) 149, 905 Ghana WSIP Water Sector Improvement Sector 4, 065, 000 HPD Individual Contracts UK Financial Contribution to the Population Council 200, 000 India Support to ILO for the Elimination of Child Poverty 2, 500, 000 Indonesia Complimentary Feeding Programme 1, 250, 000 Mozambique National Child Rights Programme 128, 350 Rwanda ICRC Detainee Protection Activities in Rwanda 350, 000 South Africa, Republic of Support to the South African San Institute (SASI) and the SA 535, 500 Uganda Disabled People 121, 450 Zambia Zambia Primary Reading Programme 10, 205, 000
§ Baroness Rawlingsasked Her Majesty's Government:
In view of the commitment to eradicate poverty, how they explain that the share of the Department for International Development's bilateral aid (excluding emergency aid) to low income countries has declined by 3.6 per cent. between 1996–97 and 1997–98. [HL1141]
§ Baroness AmosFor 1997–98, DfID was bound by the financial ceilings fixed by the previous administration. DfID inherited a programme which declined in cash terms in 1997–98 over the previous year. During 1997–98, DfID reviewed and refocused all programmes to ensure they met our new objectives. The Comprehensive Spending Review announced in July 1998 set out the Government's spending plans for 1999–00 to 2001–02 and reversed the decline in development spending.
Within this context, the fall in the proportion of aid going to low income countries in 1997–98 was due to two specific factors:
increased expenditure in South Africa and Montserrat. Both are classified as upper-middle income countries, but DfID programmes address important needs and focus on the poorer elements of those communities.
a relatively small decrease in the value of aid going to low income countries.
§ Baroness Rawlingsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which projects received what funds from the United Kingdom bilateral aid budget towards providing clean and safe water to poor people in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99. [HL1140]
145WA
§ Baroness AmosIn 1997–98 the total Department for International Development (DfID) expenditure on water-related projects was £49.9 million. Of this, £30.3 million went to support rural and urban water supply and sanitation initiatives; an eight per cent. increase over 1996–97. Figures for 1998–99 are not yet available, although, based on projects recently approved for funding, we are expecting an increase.
In all, approximately 150 projects received DfID funding in 1997–98. In terms of financial value, the allocation was 56 per cent. in Africa (notably Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Swaziland); 34 per cent. in South Asia (India. Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan) and the remaining 10 per cent. allocated between South America, Middle East and Eastern Europe. Some 7 per cent. of the funds were used to support the implementation of projects through civil society organisations.