HC Deb 28 May 2004 vol 422 cc88-90W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the irrigation projects in Afghanistan that receive financial assistance from his Department. [176594]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

DFID does not support any irrigation projects in Afghanistan. DFID's support in Afghanistan is focused on public administration reform and economic management; livelihoods development; security sector reform; and humanitarian support. This is in line with the Afghan Government's request that each donor focus their support on areas where they have a comparative advantage.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of deaths in Herat, Afghanistan since 1 January. [176596]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

Factional fighting broke out in Herat following the assassination of Aviation Minister Mirwais Sadiq in March. Initial reports suggested the death toll to be near to 100 though further investigation revealed the figures to be closer to 10. There is limited capacity for monitoring and data collection in Afghanistan, and the number of deaths from other causes since 1 January is unclear.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much money has been(a)allocated for and (b)spent by his Department on development aid to Afghanistan in each of the last three years; [176597]

(2) how much money from his Department has been (a)allocated for and (b)spent on humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in each of the last three years. [176595]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

In immediate response to the humanitarian need in financial year 2001–02 DFID spent £46.4 million on humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.

At the Tokyo conference in January 2002 DFID pledged £200 million over 5 years from 2002–03. Since then DFID have allocated £75 million per year for Afghanistan and disbursed £75.8 million in 2002–03 and £77.6 million in 2003–04. The breakdown between humanitarian and reconstruction assistance is shown as follows.

£ million
Financial year Humanitarian

assistance

 Reconstruction

assistance
2002–03 44.7 31.1
2003–04 8.1 69.5

At the Berlin conference on Afghanistan in April this year, the UK Government increased its Tokyo pledge to at least £500 million.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in how many areas of Afghanistan the National Solidarity Programme is distributing aid.[176599]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

The National Solidarity Programme is distributing aid in 96 districts (three in each of the 32 provinces).

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the level of voter registration in Afghanistan. [176601]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

According to the latest UN figures from May 29, 2.9 million voters have registered so far from an estimated 10.4 million electorate.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the UK-based non-governmental organisations working in Afghanistan. [176603]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

There are 33 UK-based non-governmental organisations currently working in Afghanistan. They are:

  • Actionaid
  • Afghanaid
  • Aid International/Mercy Corps
  • British Red Cross
  • CAFOD
  • CARE International
  • Children in Crisis
  • Christian Aid
  • Concern Worldwide
  • Cord
  • Focus Humanitarian (Europe)
  • GOAL
  • Hope Worldwide
  • Islamic Relief
  • Learning for Life
  • Marie Stopes International
  • Medecins sans Frorttieres
  • Ockenden International
  • Oxfam
  • Save the Children UK
  • Tearfund
  • Trocaire
  • War Child
  • World Vision
  • Halo Trust
  • (HMD) Response International
  • IPPF
  • Jacob's Well Appeal Medair UK,
  • Medecins du Monde
  • Muslim Hands
  • Merlin
  • Womankind Worldwide.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many aid projects funded by his Department have been discontinued in Afghanistan. [176604]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

DFID has not discontinued any projects in Afghanistan.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what written representations from aid donors he has received on humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan; and if he will publish those representations. [176610]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

DFID is provided with monthly updates on the humanitarian situation by the British Agencies Afghanistan Group. DFID also receive regular updates and requests for support from the various branches of the United Nations. DFID are presently considering the annual appeal for 2004 from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. All of these documents are publicly available.

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