HC Deb 14 May 1998 vol 312 cc170-1W
Sir Alastair Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of her Department's expenditure through non-governmental organisations in 1997–98 was applied to(a) the Joint Funding Scheme, (b) emergency relief, (c) volunteers and (d) other areas; and what are the comparable planned figures for 1998–99. [41365]

Clare Short

Details of bilateral development assistance are published each year in the British Aid Statistics. The next issue, which will include final expenditure figures for 1997–98, is due for publication in December 1998.

Information on planned spending through UK non-governmental organisations for 1998–99 is not held centrally in the format requested. I regret that a full answer to the question could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Sir Alastair Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the bilateral development assistance programme was channelled through United Kingdom non-governmental organisations for development activities in 1997–98; and what is the planned figure for 1998–99. [41366]

Clare Short

The information requested for 1997–98 will not be available until later this year. Details of bilateral development assistance are published each year in the British Aid Statistics. The next issue, which will include final expenditure figures for 1997–98, is due for publication in December 1998.

Information on planned spending through UK nongovernmental organisations for development activities for 1998–99 is not held centrally in the format requested. I regret that a full answer to the question could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Sir Alastair Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent under the Joint Funding Scheme in 1997–98; on how many projects; and what are the planned figures for 1998–99. [41368]

Clare Short

My Department spent £36,139,087 on development projects through the Joint Funding Scheme in 1997–98. This involved some 1,700 projects managed by 128 UK NGOs. Our planned figure for 1998–99 is £36,156,000. It is expected that the number of projects and agencies will be equivalent to last year.

Sir Alastair Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on the Volunteer Programme in 1997–98; how many volunteers were sent; to how many countries; and what are the planned figures for 1998–99. [41367]

Clare Short

In 1997–98 my Department provided £23,932,580 to the four main volunteer sending agencies Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), International Co-operation for Development (ICD), United Nations Association for International Service (UNAIS) and Skillshare Africa. This helped to fund the work of approximately 2,080 volunteers in around 60 countries.

Our planned figure for 1998–99 is £25,533,124. It is expected that the number of volunteers will be maintained at the current level in the same number of countries.