HC Deb 18 November 2002 vol 394 cc15-6W
Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial support her Department has provided to the fast track education initiative established by the World bank. [80555]

Clare Short

We are working to improve the fast track initiative so that it is embedded in country-led processes. We will provide support within our overall programme of support for Education for All. This means that there must be respect for local priorities and integration into poverty reduction strategy and medium-term economic framework processes. There must also be a recognition that money is only one ingredient in achieving progress and, that in many cases, significant absorptive capacity problems must be addressed before additional funds can be used effectively. There also needs to be much more emphasis on the five high population countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and DRC) where so many of the out-of-school children are. A substantial proportion of the £1.3 billion, which we are forecasting to spend on basic education over the next five years, will be committed in fast track countries, particularly these five.

John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what contribution her Department is making to the G8 education fast track initiative in low income countries; [80938]

(2) what progress is being made towards the selection of additional low income countries for inclusion in the G8 education fast track initiative; [80937]

(3) what progress has been made towards the implementation of the G8 education fast track initiative in low income countries. [809391

Clare Short

Our forecast support for basic education amounts to £1.3 billion over the next five years, either through education sector support or direct budget support. Of this, about £500million will go to Africa and £800million to Asia. A substantial proportion will go to low income countries included within the Fast Track Initiative, notably to the five high population countries with large numbers of children out of school (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, DRC) which the Government successfully pressed to have included in the initiative. These spending figures are forecasts, not targets or commitments, and depend on agreeing high quality programmes with our partners.

Countries vary in the rate of progress they are making in preparing their proposals for fast track support. The UK is stressing that it is important to get the process right rather than to rush ahead with ill-prepared plans. We are therefore working to ensure that the initiative is rooted in existing country processes and that proposals are consistent with each country's medium-term expenditure framework and poverty reduction strategy.