§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if he will make a statement on(a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the 2002 CARDS project entitled (i) Directorate of Roads in Kosovo and (ii) Pristina to Skopje Road Rehabilitation in Kosovo; [163874]
(2) what his Department's contribution was to the 2002 CARDS projects for (a) strategic management support to public utility service providers and (b) river gauging and rehabilitation of ash dumps in Mitrovica in Kosovo; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [163868]
(3) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the 2002 CARDS regional co-operation and integration projects on (i) institution building and (ii) integrated border management; [163919]
(4) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the CARDS Institution Building projects (i) on the Implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement in State Institutions in Croatia, (ii) to improve accountability and efficiency in public procurement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, (iii) entitled Introduction of modern practices in the tax and customs administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina and (iv) entitled Support for procurement competition and statistics in Albania that were financed by EU development assistance in 2002; [163937]
(5) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the 2002 CARDS project on the Nikola Tesla A3 thermal power plant in Serbia;[163997]
(6) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the 2002 CARDS projects (i) for local community development in Albania, (ii) for transport sector investment capacity-building measures in Serbia and (iii) for the reconstruction of the Sloboda Bridge in Serbia; [163869]
(7) what his Department's contribution was to the 2002 CARDS projects (a) for the return of refugees and displaced persons to (i) Bosnia and Herzegovina and (ii) Croatia, (b) to provide support to civil society and to strengthen non-governmental organisations in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, (c) to provide support to environmental NGOs in Croatia, (d) to develop civil society and NGO capacity in Albania, (e) to assist in institutional capacity-building to strengthen environmental protection in Serbia and (f) for sewerage and waste water feasibility and treatment in Montenegro; and what assessment he has made of each project; [163910]
(8) what assessment he has made of the 2002 CARDS projects on (a) technical assistance to the electricity sector and emergency rehabilitation of electricity 1436W distribution systems in Montenegro, (b) for an energy efficiency agency and an energy regulatory agency in Serbia and (c) for generation, transmission and consultancy in respect of energy in Serbia; [163911]
(9) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the 2002 CARDS projects (i) on vocational education and training in Serbia, (ii) on vocational training and educational mobility in Croatia, (iii) to support vocational education and training reform in Albania and (iv) for agricultural and agro-processing credit, the strengthening of public veterinary services and agricultural statistics and the Policy Advisory Unit in Kosovo; [163870]
(10) what his Department's contribution was to the 2002 CARDS projects for (a) the development of a comprehensive environmental regulatory framework, (b) water resources management and (c) solid waste management in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [163999]
(11) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the 2002 CARDS Tempus projects in (i) Bosnia and Herzegovina, (ii) Albania, (iii) Croatia, (iv) Montenegro, (v) Serbia and (vi) the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; [163871]
(12) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the CARDS institution building projects on (i) public administration reform in Montenegro, (ii) general and health reforms in (A) Kosovo and (B) Serbia, (iii) the development of financial controls, debt management and customs systems in Croatia and (iv) the strategy and capacity building for regional development in Croatia that were financed by EU development assistance in 2002; [163917]
(13) what his Department's contribution was to the 2002 CARDS projects (a) for the design of a secure landfill site for hazardous waste in Albania, (b) on pollution abatement and control at Ballski Refinery in Albania and (c) on environment legislation and awareness training in Albania; and what assessment he has made of the project; [163918]
(14) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in, (b) the effectiveness of and (c) the countries benefiting from the 2002 CARDS Regional Cooperation and Integration Project on (i) regional infrastructure and (ii) democratic stabilisation; [163872]
(15) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the 2002 CARDS projects on (i) road and railway rehabilitation in Montenegro and (ii) access roads to ethnic minority enclaves in Kosovo; [163873]
(16) if he will make a statement on (a) his Department's involvement in and (b) the effectiveness of the 2002 CARDS project to provide assistance to energy production transmission and distribution networks in Kosovo; [163876]
1437W(17) what his Department's contribution to the 2002 CARDS projects for (a) a strategy for environmental law and (b) a waste management and water information system in Croatia was; and what assessment he has made of the projects. [164000]
Mr. Gareth ThomasThe Department is involved in projects implemented under the Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS) programme by contributing the UK's share of the European Commission budget allocated to CARDS and by participating in the Management Committee established to define country strategies and oversee the programme. In addition proposals for spending in Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are approved by the Governing Board of the European Agency for Reconstruction, on which the Department is also represented. Implementation of specific projects (including procurement, which is governed by EC procurement rules) is the responsibility of the Commission.
When considering Commission funding proposals, the Department took a wide range of factors into consideration, including likely impact, cost-effectiveness and value for money. Many of the 2002 projects are in the early stages of implementation. An assessment of the projects will only be possible once they have been completed. The EC, through its results-orientated management system and strengthened evaluation systems, is best placed to carry out such an assessment.