United Nations Population Fund (Hansard, 9 May 2002)

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was given by the EU to the UN population fund in each of the last 10 years. [54481]

§ Clare Short
This information is not readily available and to obtain it would involve disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the policy of the UN population fund with respect to the Chinese one child policy. [54482]

§ Clare Short
Like the Government, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) does not support China's one child policy. The objective of UNFPA's programme in China is to demonstrate that a voluntary, non-coercive286W approach to family planning can be effective in promoting sustainable population growth. UNFPA report that birth quotas and targets have been abolished, and abortion rates have fallen in the areas of China where UNFPA is working.

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what oversight and scrutiny her officials have over the funding of the UN population fund; and if she will make a statement. [54485]

§ Clare Short
My Department's level of funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is based on an assessment of its performance in contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals—particularly those relating to HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health—and other international development targets. Our assessment of UNFPA's performance is based on regular feedback from DFID's offices in developing countries, and on studies by external evaluation experts. In addition, the UK (DFID) is a member of UNFPA's executive board which carefully scrutinises the fund's activities and performance.

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the level of funding made available to the United Nations population fund in(a) 1980, (b) 1984, (c) 1988, (d) 1992 and (e) 2000. [54480]

§ Clare Short
The UK's contributions to the United Nations population fund (UNFPA) in the years referred to were:

(a) £2 million

(b) £3 million

(c) £2.625 million

(d) £9 million

(e) £15.05 million.

§ Mr. Swayne
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds are being made available by(a) the United Nations Fund for Population Activities and (b) the International Parenthood Federation to fund population control in Peru. [54483]

§ Clare Short
Neither the United Nations population fund (UNFPA) or the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) support population control programmes in Peru or elsewhere.
In 2002, UNFPA's US$1.4 million programme in Peru is supporting action to reduce maternal mortality and to improve access to reproductive health information and care for young people. IPPF's US$246,716 programme in 2002 is supporting the promotion of a range of quality and affordable sexual and reproductive health services and information for poor people, including improving access to modern methods of contraception and support to combat gender-based violence.