Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the recent Oxfam report,Missing the Target: the price of empty promises; and if she will make a statement. [128715]Clare Short: The UK Government have taken the lead in seeking to mobilise the international development system including developmentNGOs to focus on the achievement of the 2015 targets. We have always made clear that the 2015 targets are extremely challenging, butvery substantial progress has been made and more is possible. Some targets are nearer to achievement than others. It is alsopossible that some of the targets will be achieved overall but not achieved in some countries. The purpose of the targets is to seekto galvanise a greater effort in each country and by all parties.At last year's Summit in Cologne, the G8 called for an annual poverty report from the international financial institutions as ameans of focusing the international effort toward the targets. The first report has been prepared for this year's Summit in Okinawa.The report draws attention to the concerted and sustained commitment that will be needed if the 2015 targets are to be met. Howeverits conclusion is that achieving the targets is still possible overall, though it will be more difficult in some parts of the worldthan others. The report proposes a comprehensive range of measures for dealing with this: these include improving the globalenvironment faced by developing countries; increasing aid flows and improving the effectiveness of aid; accelerating theimplementation of the enhanced heavily indebted poor countries initiative; harnessing new information and communication technologiesfor increased productivity and economic growth; and working to reduce conflict.