§ Mr. Frank CookTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department will spend on(a) humanitarian mine clearance, (b) commercial mine clearance, (c) military initiatives in mine clearance, (d) mine awareness, (e) mine victim assistance and (f) research and development for mine clearance in 2004. [165849]
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§ Hilary BennUntil the work of the current DFID review of mine action is complete I am unable to precisely indicate the detail of our mine action budget for 2004–05. However I anticipate that DFID's total allocation in this sector will remain at current levels.
§ Mr. Frank CookTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on(a) humanitarian mine clearance, (b) commercial mine clearance, (c) military initiatives in mine clearance, (d) mine awareness, (e) mine victim assistance and (f) research and development for mine clearance in 2003. [165850]
§ Hilary BennDisbursements in the Financial Year 2003–04 were as follows:
(£) Humanitarian Mine Clearance 19,717,650 Mine Risk Education (Awareness) Grant to UNICEF 650,000 Research & Development inc knowledge provision 1,498,443 1DFID has not directly funded commercial mine clearance or military mine clearance initiatives in 2003. However commercial companies will benefit from contracts that use DFID funds provided to the United Nations for mine action programmes. The above programmes also include integrated demining activities that include mine risk education programmes. DFID is not able to disaggregate either of these figures.
§ Mr. Frank CookTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the recent review his Department made of its mine action funding policy. [165851]
§ Hilary BennThe review of DFID's Mine Action Funding Strategy is still continuing. As soon as a final decision has been reached I will inform interested organisations.