HC Deb 08 June 1995 vol 261 cc302-3W
Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is provided to his Department by the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations population fund prior to the approval of his Department's grants to their core budgets. [26935]

Mr. Baldry

Decisions concerning the United Kingdom's contributions to the core activities of the United Nations population fund—UNFPA—and the International Planned Parenthood Federation are based on our assessment of the value of both organisations in contributing to better reproductive health. This assessment is based on reports of their programmes, our own monitoring of their work, and participation in UNFPA's governing body and IPPF's annual donors' meetings.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the transfer of buildings controlled by the Galton Institute to the International Planned Parenthood Federation. [26895]

Mr. Baldry

We understand from the International Planned Parenthood Federation that there has been no transfer of buildings, controlled by the Galton Institute, to it.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs what information he has on the practice of some donor nations of tying aid to the implementation of family planning programmes; and in which countries where such conditions have been applied his Department is working. [26933]

Mr. Baldry

We are not aware of any donor countries that currently tie aid to the implementation of family planning programmes.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what documentation he has other than annual reports of the use to which the core funds of the IPPF and UNFPA are put. [26934]

Mr. Baldry

We have access to a variety of documents, including evaluation and review reports, which describe the activities and programmes supported by the core funds of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations population fund.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the estimates of unmet family planning demand prepared by the United Nations population fund and similar organisations together with copies of studies undertaken by his own Department. [27297]

Mr. Baldry

A large number of country studies examining the unmet demand for family planning have been undertaken over the years. We will arrange for a sample of such studies to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amount was donated by the Overseas Development Administration in 1993–94 for primary health care projects excluding family planning provision in(a) India, (b) Pakistan, (c) Malaysia, (d) Sri Lanka, (e) Cambodia, (f) E1 Salvador, (g) Nicaragua, (h) Mexico, (i) Peru, (j) Oceania regional, (k) Russian Federation, (l) Africa regional, (m) Burkina Faso, (n) Ethiopia, (o) Ghana, (p) Kenya, (q) Nigeria, (r) Tanzania, (s) Togo, (t) Uganda, (u) Malawi, (v) Sierra Leone, (w) South Africa, (x) Zaire, (y) Zambia and (z) Zimbabwe. [27226]

Mr. Baldry

In most developing countries, primary health care incorporates reproductive health care, including the provision of means by which people can, if they wish, have children by choice. It is impractical to try and distinguish the proportion of our aid to countries which is given for primary health care "excluding family planning provision".

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what considerations underlie his Department's decision on the relative amounts to be spent on primary health care projects in Bangladesh and on reproductive health projects and family planning. [27298]

Mr. Baldry

The British aid programme helps promote strategic development objectives agreed with the Government of Bangladesh. Primary health care is a priority, within which reproductive health care, including the provision of means by which women and men can, if they wish, have children by choice, forms an essential part. Our emphasis within our primary health care programmes in Bangladesh is on preventive care and local capacity to use British aid effectively.

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