HC Deb 09 July 2003 vol 408 cc837-8W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many officials in the Department for International Development serve on EU committees or working parties. [116081]

Hilary Benn

The number of officials from DFID who attend meetings of EU management committees, working parties and working groups is not fixed. Depending on the subject matter under consideration, the most appropriate policy officials will attend meetings of EU committees. Most meetings are normally attended by a single official from DFID; occasionally more than one official will attend.

Officials from DFID attend the following committees:

  • Asia and Latin America management committee (ALA)
  • Financial and technical co-operation for Mediterranean nonmember countries management committee (MED)
  • European Development Fund management committee (EDF)
  • Food security and food aid management committee (FS & FAC)
  • Food aid working group (FAWG)
  • Technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States management committee (TACIS)
  • Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation management committee (CARDS)
  • Committee on pre-accession assistance to central and eastern European countries (PHARE)
  • Humanitarian aid management committee (HAC)
  • Committee for development co-operation with South Africa
  • NGO co-financing committee
  • Committee on special assistance to traditional ACP suppliers of bananas