§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement regarding the projects within her Department that aim to strengthen professional engineering in developing countries, indicating which countries are involved. [49829]
§ Clare ShortThe provision and maintenance of water, transport and energy infrastructure underpins much of what we do to eliminate poverty and encourage pro-poor economic growth. In all programmes we will try to include an element of strengthening and training into the institutions which provide the engineering services. Our Knowledge and Research programmes regularly look at projects which try to improve the technical standards and the quality of decision making for the engineering profession in developing countries.
However more specifically the Strengthening Professional Engineering Associations Project (SPEAP) has been using the Institution of Civil Engineers to study the particular needs of the engineering profession in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Infrastructure services consume a very large proportion of public funds in developing countries. The rationale for the project lies in the recognition that poor quality engineering often leads to the inefficient use of those funds and the rapid deterioration of facilities. Earthquake disasters result in loss of life which could be mostly avoided by implementation of simple engineering good practice. As we move away from donor supervised project level support towards budget and sectoral support the quality of local professional services becomes increasingly critical. A strengthened profession will help to maintain higher standards and improve decision making to the benefit of the whole community.
752WThe project will also address the impact of strengthened professional standards on professional integrity and corruption and look at the potential impact of the GATS 2000 decisions in respect of the worldwide trade in engineering services. If engineering qualification and standards are not raised to internationally accepted norms then the full benefits will not be realised.
Throughout our work in engineering we are continuously emphasising the broader responsibilities of engineers towards the social and environmental issues associated with infrastructure developments.