§ 20. Helen JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress in eradicating land mines. [147658]
§ Clare ShortIn late 1997 I pledged to double my Department's annual bilateral expenditure on humanitarian mine action from under £5 million in 1997–98 to £10 million in 2000–01. This expenditure target has been achieved, based on a three year policy which has four main objectives: promoting the globalisation of the Ottawa Convention; undertaking effective mine clearance projects and capacity building in developing countries; strengthening international response; and supporting technological innovation.
Progress reports on the Humanitarian Mine Action programme were placed in the Library of the House in February 1999 and September 2000. A further report, planned for mid-2001, will summarise the three-year programme and evaluate its impact.