§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Government are doing to equip hospitals in Afghanistan. [80560]
§ Clare ShortWe are directing the majority of our funds through UN agencies, major NGOs and the World Bank Trust Fund. We have provided £2 million to the World Health Organisation; in addition to this some of the funds directed through NGOs have been specifically for the area of healthcare, including the provision of primary healthcare, and the emergency restoration of healthcare facilities.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance is being provided to hospitals in Afghanistan to ensure they have regular supplies of electricity. [80570]
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§ Clare ShortA number of major donors, including the World Bank and the EC are providing support for urban infrastructure. The German Government are also supporting power supply rehabilitation. In order to avoid replication of work we are not working in this sector although we have provided over £2 million for healthcare needs through the World Health Organisation and NGOs.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money her Department has given to the Government of Afghanistan to pay the salaries of public servants. [80571]
§ Clare ShortWe have contributed £10 million ($15 million) into the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), out of an estimated total for 2002–03 of $140 million; of this, some 90 per cent, will help meet Afghanistan's recurrent costs. The Afghanistan budget is $460 million, of which an estimated 80 per cent, will be for salaries. The UK funding for the ARTF is untied and unearmarked.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the money her Department pledged to Afghanistan for this year has been disbursed; and when she expects to disburse the remainder 100 per cent, of the money. [80573]
§ Clare ShortAt Tokyo in January we pledged £200 million to Afghanistan over five years, of this we have allocated £65 million for the current financial year. So far this year we have disbursed just over £37 million (57 per cent.). We expect to disburse a further £12.5 million to address Afghanistan's arrears with International Financial Institutions by the end of November. The remainder of the £65 million will be disbursed by the end of the financial year.
§ Julie MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what Britain's contribution is to international funding for the reconstruction of Afghanistan; how much Britain has agreed to contribute in each of the next three years; and how much has already been committed. [80719]
§ Clare Short[holding answer 18 November]At the meeting on the reconstruction of Afghanistan, held in Tokyo in January this year the UK pledged 200 million to Afghanistan over the next five years. For the current financial year we have allocated 65 million for both reconstruction and humanitarian needs. In addition to
Recipient Financial Year Cost Description Sierra Leone 2001–02 £5.27 million Personal equipment, light weapons, ammunition, communications equipment and vehicles for the Sierra Leone armed forces Kenya 2001–02 £14,000 Thirty-five (35) mine detectors for Kenyan armed forces deploying as part of the UN Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea All of the above equipment was provided by the Ministry of Defence. The equipment for Sierra Leone was provided as part of the UK programme of support for the Sierra Leone Government. The purpose was to assist in training and equipping the armed forces and was announced in Parliament at the time.
28Wthis there is 1.8 million available from the mine action programme for specific work to address the problem of land mines in Afghanistan and a further 18 million in the Global Conflict Prevention Pool. We are currently considering resources for future financial years in our Resource Allocation Round process.