HL Deb 07 January 2003 vol 642 cc177-8WA
Baroness Masham of Ilton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are aware of any involvement by Marie Stopes International in the Chinese one-child policy. [HL532]

Baroness Amos

As we have repeatedly made clear, DfID supports HIV/AIDS prevention and care and UNFPA productive health programmes in China. Marie Stopes International (MSI) is assisting in the delivery of both of these. Under these programmes neither DfID nor MSI are supporting any coercive family planning practices in China. All UK assistance for reproductive health programmes is provided in support of the principles of free and informed choices set out at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994 and reaffirmed at the Cairo plus 5 meeting in New York in 1999.

Baroness Masham of Ilton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the light of China's now below-replacement fertility rate and ageing population, whether they will cease supporting population growth containment in China. [HL537]

Baroness Amos

UK assistance for reproductive health programmes in China, as elsewhere, is provided in support of the principles of free and informed choices set out at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994, and reaffirmed at the Cairo plus 5 meeting in New York in 1999. We do not support population growth containment and have no plans to withdraw our support for the ICPD principles.