Education (Hansard, 4 November 2002)

§ Tony Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the new money announced for International Development in the CSR will be spent on basic education; and how much this represents in real terms. [78217]

§ Clare Short
Improving education outcomes for poor people is not primarily about donor resources. We are working to help partner Governments put the policies and plans in place which will enable them to accelerate the achievement of universal primary completion. The resources allocated to this will therefore depend on individual country circumstances—but the international community has already made it clear that no country seriously committed to Education for All will be thwarted by lack of resources.

§ Tony Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department will announce what resources it will put into the Fast Track Initiative on Education. [78218]

§ Clare Short
Our approach to the Fast Track Initiative is to help partner Governments put the policies and plans in place which will enable them to accelerate the achievement of universal primary completion. As plans emerge from individual countries, the resources required for implementation will be discussed at the country level. We will determine through this process any additional resources from my Department.

§ Tony Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to support education in the Fast Track countries on the list. [78219]

§ Clare Short
My Department in engaged in over half of the countries included in the Fast Track Initiative. We are working with Governments to improve education policies and plans through a variety of mechanisms, including direct budget support, sectoral budget support and bilateral projects.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of her Department's budget she expects to be spent on basic education in the next three years. [78207]

§ Clare Short
[holding answer sent 30 October 2002]: The Government have committed over £700 million to basic education since 1997. At Kananaskis we joined other G8 countries in pledging to increase our bilateral assistance for countries that have demonstrated a strong and credible policy and financial commitment to the goals of achieving universal primary education for all children and equal access to education for girls. We are working closely with partner Governments to help them improve their education policies and plans: actual expenditure will therefore depend on progress made in individual countries.
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§ Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government have contributed to the Education for All plan for each of the last seven years for which records are available. [78009]

§ Clare Short
The Government have committed over £700 million to basic education since 1997. Annual figures are not readily available.

§ Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what target sum she has agreed with her counterparts in other countries should be set for the total budget for the World Bank Education for All programme. [78010]

§ Clare Short
Improving education outcomes for poor people is not primarily dependant on donor resources but on political commitment at country level. We are working to try to ensure that the Education for All initiative adds value to the efforts to deliver universal primary education by 2015. The resources allocated to this will depend on individual country circumstances. We and the international community have already made it clear that no country seriously committed to Education for All will be thwarted by lack of resources.