HC Deb 30 November 1976 vol 921 cc129-43W
Mr. McNamara

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what are the total sums allocated by his Department for the pound for pound scheme in the current financial year; and how much was allocated in 1975.

Mr. Prentice

Vote provision for the current financial year is £400,000. For 1975–76 it was £500,000.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Minister for Overseas Development how much of the sum allocated for the pound for pound scheme was disbursed in 1975; how much has been confirmed for the current year; and how much is needed for schemes at present under consideration.

Mr. Prentice

£27,000 was disbursed in 1975–76. The current commitment for approved projects is £587,000, of which £320,000 is due for payment in 1976–77; £152,000 has been issued so far. Approximately £400,000 would be needed for projects under consideration.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Minister for Overseas Development (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report those voluntary agencies which have (a) received funds and the amount involved and (b) have at present schemes under consideration by his Department, and the amount involved;

(2) whether he will list in the Official Report the projects involving the pound for pound scheme of voluntary agencies, by agency and the nature of the projects involved and the total cost, and the agency and his Department's contribution which have so far been approved by him, indicating the progress made in each of the projects;

(3) whether he will list in the Official Report the projects under the pound for pound scheme at present under consideration by his Department, indicating the voluntary agency concerned, the division of cost between his department and the agency and when he expects the decision for departmental support to be given.

Mr. Prentice

The information requested by my hon. Friend is set out in the following two tables which show, by agency, the projects approved and under consideration, together with their estimated cost and a statement of the allocation from public funds including, where appropriate, disbursements to the end of November.

TABLE 1
APPROVED PROJECTS
Agency and Country Project Application dated Approved Total* ODM contribution Issues from ODM to 30th November 1976
? ? ?
Beit Trust:
Rhodesia Treatment Hall 30th June 1976 24th September 1976 31,145 15,572 (1 year) —
Britain/Tanzania Society:
Tanzania Workshops for Village Craftsmen 8th March 1976 10th May 1976 17,317 8,657 (2 years) 4,175
CAFOD:
Peru Training of mentally handicapped adolescents for employment 2nd February 1976 10th March 1976 12,545 6,272 (1 year) 6,272
Belize Broom manufacturing 14th July 1976 27th September 1976 12,150 6,050 (1 year) 1,396
Colombia Model Farm 14th July 1976 27th September 1976 15,251 (3 years) 3,813 (1 year) —
Cheshire Foundation:
Kenya Gardens Project, Mombasa 18th March 1976 3rd May 1976 3,000 1,500 (1 year) —
Christian Aid:
Zambia Family Farms 30th January 1976 3rd August 1976† 24,000 Up to 12,000 (1 year) 2,074
Malawi Youth Week March 1976 May 1976 20,000 10,000 10,000
Rhodesia Honde Technical College 26th July 1976 8th September 195,000 26,500 (1 year) —
Commonwealth Society for the Deaf:
Nigeria Institute of Audiology, Ibadan 23rd July 1976 29th September 1976 11,500 5,750 (2 years) —
Council for World Mission:
India Rural Health 21st May 1976 4th October 1976 4,866 2,433 (1 year) —
Friends of Urambo and Mwanhala:
Tanzania Poultry Unit and Day Care Centres (1)9th September 1975 12th January 1976 14,680 7,340 (1 year) 1,550
(2)2nd October 1975

Agency and Country Project Application dated Approved Total* ODM contribution Issues From ODM to 30th November 1976
£ £ £
Friends Service Council:
Kenya … Rhamu Centre, North-East 27th August 1976 28th October 1976 10,000 plus 5,000 plus (1 year) —
Help the aged:
India … Handicrafts for old people 22nd July 1976 22nd September 1976 3,150 1,732 (1year) —
OXFAM:
Rhodesia … St. Peters Community Development School. 11th June 1975 31st July 1975 9,974 4,987 (2year) 2,287
Burundi … Hospital Health Centre 19th June 1975 4th August 1975 30,111 15,056 (2year) 11,220
Chile … Workers Co-operatives‡ 29th July 1975 20th September 1975 $119,235 $45,000 22,500
Sudan … Rural Development Centre, Amadi February 1976 February 1976 65,000 (3year) 21,666 (2year) —
India … Tamil Nadu Water Development 18th September 1975 23rd December 1975 20,400 (5year) 4,080 (2year) 2,000
Bangaladesh … Sanitation Units 10th May 1976 16th June 1976 (3years) 246,210 (3year) 103,755 (2year) 48,888
Caribbean … CADEC 9th July 1976 3rd August 1976 75,577 (3year) 25,442 (2year) —
Ethiopia … Chencha MCH 12th August 1976 12th October 1976 14,080 7,400 (1year) 4,078
Red Cross Society:
Bangaladesh … Holy Family Hospital Red X Training school. May 1976 May 1976 84,000 42,000 (2year) 5,753
Save the Children Fund:
Bangladesh … Jamuna River Project 4th December 1975 10th March 1976 304,750 (5 year) 64,700 (2 year) 26,338
Ethiopia … Community Health and MCH 11th June 1976 22nd August 1976 30,000 (2 years) 8,750 for 1 year (£6, 250 in second year if we decide to continue) —
Sudan … Rural Sanitation 2nd July 1976 11th August 1976 6,538 3,269 (2 year) —
Nepal … MCH 6th July 1976 13th September 1976 156,538 78,269 (2 years) —

Agency and Country Project Application dated Approved Total* ODM contribution Issues from ODM to 30th November 1976
£ £ £
Sudan Interior Mission:
Ethiopia … Two rural health projects 2nd February 1976 26th March 1976 55,012 26,194 (1 year) 18,688
TOC H:
India … Health Centre at Panickampatti 4th September 1975 15th December 1975 3,090 1,500 (1 year) 1,000
YWCA:
India … Literacy Project, Madras 22nd July 1976 15th September 1976 3,390 1,940 (2 year) —
* Total value of projects may include contributions from other sources and may also include support for longer than 2 years. ODM contributions are for a maximum of 2 years.
† Held up by requests for further information and formal clearance in Zambia.
‡ Project cancelled by agency; advance to be refunded.

TABLE 2
PROJECTS UNDER CONSIDERATION
Agency and Country Project Application dated Total cost ODM contribution
£ £
Amazon Trust:
Peru Medical Team Plus Clinics … 24th June 1976 … Revised application awaited.
Christian Aid:
Sierra Leone Adult Literacy … 30th September 1976 … 30,000 (2½ years) 15,000
Church Missionary Society:
Pakistan Mental Health … 25th August 1976 … 13,000 (2 years) 6,500
International Extentsion College:
Maurititus Maurixfitius College of the Air … 10th November … 57,744 (2 years) 7,000 (2 years)
Methodist church:
Indonesia Animal husbandry project at Nommenson University* … 23rd June 1976 … 32,543 (3 year) 7,000 (2 year)
Oxfam:
India Foundation for research in community health, Kolaba … 25th October 1976 … 16,686 (3 years) 5,592 (2 years)
Ethiopia Surface water programme in Tigre … 25th October 1976 … 34,500 (2 years) 17,250
Honduras Grain marketing operations … Agreed in principle. Application awaited
Honduras Pilot irrigation … Agreed in principle. Application awaited
Argentina Agricultural development … Agreed in principle. Application awaited
Argentina Land purchase … Agreed in principle. Application awaited
Bolivia Cocoa development and extension … Agreed in principle. Application awaited
Bolivia Agricultural development, hostel and offices … Agreed in principle. Application awaited
Bolivia Colonisation … Agreed in principle. Application awaited
Bangladesh Ferries and Tugs … Agreed in principle. Application awaited
Yemen Arab Republic Goat dairy … 24th August 1976 … 25,000 (3 year) 11,337 (2 year)
Kenya Lake Kenyatta Settlement—mobile medical service … 25th October 1976 … 13,850 (1 year) 6,925
Ethiopia Resettlement in Angar Gutin … 12th November 1976 … 43,509 (1 year) 17,750

Agency and country Project Application dated Total cost ODM contribution
£ £
Save the Children Fund:
Thailand … Child care particularly in refugee camps … … … 19th November 1976 … 80,000(a year) plus £5,500 capital(3–5 years) 80,000 (2 years)
Ethiopia … MCH, Tigre … … … — 60,000 (2 years) 19,000
Afghanistan … MCH … … … 12th November 1976 … 141,100 (2 years) 70,550
War on Want:
India … Dairy Farm at Padhar* … … … 23rd April 1976 … 20,000 (2 years) 10,000
World University Service:
Nepal … Literacy Project† … … … 4th May 1976 … 2,276 (1 year) 1,276
* Awaiting further information from agency.
† Awaiting formal clearance in Nepal.

NoteAgencies may submit projects for approval in principle at an early stage with an estimated costing. Occasionally agencies withdraw application to redesign their projects.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what is the average time taken in assessing a project put forward by a voluntary agency for assistance under the pound for pound scheme, indicating the longest and shortest time needed to reach a decision.

Mr. Prentice

The average time is nine weeks from the date of the official application. The longest time taken to reach a decision was 26 weeks; and the shortest one week.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Minister for Overseas Development whether he will publish in the Official Report the conditions laid down by his Department for voluntary agencies seeking assistance under the pound for pound scheme, indicating any alterations made in the scheme since its first inception.

Mr. Prentice

The conditions laid down for operating the Joint Funding Scheme are as follows:

In general the intention is that my Ministry and the agency concerned should contribute equally towards the cost of a project. Although the rules governing the scheme are not rigid and can be modified in suitable circumstances, the criteria to be applied in assessing projects for joint funding include the following.

  1. (i) Agencies' eligibility. To be eligible the agency must be a non-governmental, non-profit-making organisation, registered with the Charity Commissioners, and depending for its main income on public subscription and support. It must be able to provide evidence of its capacity to ensure the competent execution of the project for which it is seeking support (or give assurances of the capability of those actually carrying out the project), and of its ability to meet its agreed share of the financial and other obligations related to the project.
  2. (ii) Project eligibility. The Ministry is prepared, subject to the qualifications listed in the remainder of this paragraph, to consider any project aiming to improve conditions for the poorest groups of people in a developing country. Projects must be developmental in character—e.g. funds would not be available under this scheme for relief and welfare projects or for the central administrative costs of societies. Projects which are innovative and which may be capable of replication will be 142 given priority, particularly projects which stimulate the awareness of people in rural areas to the need for change, and which help to indicate how changes may occur. Projects to assist the lowest income groups in urban areas may also be considered. They must involve local people and resources to the maximum extent. They should develop local initiative and innovation, and directly assist those in low income groups with limited access to other sources of funds or expertise.
  3. (iii) Project Cost. The Ministry will normally consider projects varying in total cost between £3,000 and £100,000. Similar or complementary projects may be submitted as a package to bring the cost up to the minimum level.
  4. (iv) Criteria for considering projects.
    1. (a) The objectives of a project should be realistic and attainable within limits of resources and time available.
    2. (b) Projects already underway, and of proven usefulness, which require additional funds for replication and/or extension, would be eligible.
    3. (c) Each project's cost, both capital and recurrent, its manning structure, the inputs needed, and the duration of external assistance should be clearly definable.
    4. (d) Each project's economic and social benefits should be readily identifiable.
    5. (e) Each project should be administratively viable, and those responsible for it should possess the necessary competence and experience to ensure its sound management.
    6. (f) Where appropriate there should be an indication of how the project can be continued by local people, and what arrangements have been made for training local people where necessary.
    7. (g) It should be acceptable in the country concerned.
  5. (v) Other conditions. Grants are made for not more than two years in the first instance. The Ministry will only consider extending a grant beyond two years if the agency can show that increased benefits would result or that the project needs extra time to achieve its objective or if further development of the scheme seems justified. An additional grant, up to a maximum of 10 per cent. of the Ministry's contribution to a project, can be made towards the management and administrative costs incurred in the United Kingdom in carrying out the project.

It is a condition of any grant that the agency concerned will undertake to make six-monthly reports, and a final report according to guidelines supplied by the Ministry within three months of the termination of the Ministry's financial support.

If required the whole of the Ministry's grant can be made available in local currency to meet local costs, but will otherwise be spent on British goods and services.

The main changes in the scheme since its inception are an increase in the upper limit from £50,000 to £100,000 and the arrangement under which a number of small, but related, projects can be submitted as a package which would bring the total cost up to the minimum limit.