§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums have been budgeted as the Overseas Development Administration's contribution to the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities for the next three years.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd[holding answer 25 October 1993]: The level of the United Kingdom contributions we provide to each of these organisations in 1994–95 is under consideration. We provide funds one year at a time.
§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information has been supplied to him by the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities regarding the detailed budgets and activities funded by the IPPF and UNFPA annual donations in support of the Chinese population control policy; and if such information is confidential;
(2) when the Overseas Development Administration became a participant at the International Planned Parenthood Federation annual doners meeting;
663W(3) on what date the Overseas Development Administration became a member of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd[holding answers 25 October 1993]: We have participated regularly in IPPF annual donors meetings since these started in 1971, and have funded UNFPA's global activities since 1968. UNFPA and IPPF provide donors with full details of their budgets and programmes in China.
§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent meeting between Dr. Halfdan Mahler and officials of his Department following the former's visit to China in February.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd[holding answer 25 October 1993]: Officials discussed with Dr. Mahler a range of issues, including the question of coercion in China's family planning programmes, the quality of reproductive health care in China, and the role of IPPF and the Chinese Family Planning Association.
§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has regarding the physical damage to Chinese who attempt to remove intra-uterine devices inserted by law; and what information he has on the levels of fines levied on women who are found to have illegally removed IUDs or illegally avoided their insertion;
(2) what information the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities provided to his Department regarding regional laws and district-regional governing of Chinese population control.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd[holding answer 25 October 1993]: We have received a number of reports on family planning legislation in China and are aware that family planning regulations in some provinces stipulate the imposition of fines if IUDs are removed without prior approval.
§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the factors taken into account by his Department in providing aid to organisations working in the field of population control.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd[holding answer 25 October 1993]: The Overseas Development Administration aims to promote the ability of women and men to exercise free choice about when to have children, and to improve reproductive health. Funds are provided to a number of non-government and international agencies which share these goals and which are categorically opposed to all forms of coercion in family planning programmes.