§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist in the United Kingdom for monitoring and evaluating overseas development programmes of the European Union.
§ Mr. BaldryThe primary responsibility for the monitoring and evaluation of European Community development assistance rests with the Commission. Monitoring is undertaken by in-country delegations and staff in Brussels administering the various programmes, supported as required by consultants. The evaluation unit in directorate general VIII of the Commission has a wide-ranging work programme covering EC assistance to Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific, Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean. Evaluation systems have been established to cover the more recent Poland and Hungary assistance for economic restructuring and Tacis programmes in eastern and central Europe and humanitarian aid—ECHO.
The United Kingdom has pressed successfully for the findings of mid-term reviews to be discussed by member states in management committees. We participate in the regular meetings of heads of evaluations services from the Commission and member state aid administrations. We play an active role in joint evaluations of EC and member state assistance.