HC Deb 17 May 1989 vol 153 c194W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the role of his Department's AIDS unit; how many staff and at what grades are employed in it; what is its budget for the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Eggar

In the diplomatic wing, AIDS is the responsibility of the narcotics control and AIDS department. Its role is to consider the foreign policy implications of our AIDS-related policies. Staff dealing with AIDS are 15 per cent. × one DS4, 30 per cent. × one DS5, 100 per cent. × one DS9, 50 per cent. × one DS10 and 30 per cent. × one S2A. NCAD has no dedicated budget but AIDS-related assistance may be funded from assistant under-secretaries' general purpose budgets.

AIDS-related assistance under the overseas aid programme is coordinated by the Overseas Development Administration health and population division. HPD staff dealing with AIDS are 10 per cent. × grade 5, 90 per cent. × SEO, 55 per cent. × HEO, 95 per cent. × EO, 70 per cent. × AO, 5 per cent. × personal secretary, 40 per cent. × typist. The ODA has committed £7.2 million so far for expenditure this financial year on AIDS prevention and control. Of this, £5.4 million will be administered by HPD.