Wednesday Volume 510 2 June 2010 No. 8 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 2 June 2010 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2010 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 417 2 JUNE 2010 418 In respect of my hon. Friend’s question, value for House of Commons money will be at the heart of everything we do. We are examining all expenditure in every single country, starting Wednesday 2 June 2010 with our country review shortly. Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley and Renfrewshire The House met at half-past Two o’clock South) (Lab): With your permission, Mr Speaker, let me return the compliment offered to me by the Secretary PRAYERS of State by extending my congratulations to him and his team of Ministers. The Department for International Development is one of Labour’s proudest achievements [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] and I wish him well in his stewardship of that important Ministry.I welcome the answer that he just gave emphasising value for money. May I ask whether he regards educating MEMBER SWORN young girls in Afghanistan as a valuable part of that The following Member took and subscribed the Oath comprehensive approach or whether he agrees with the required by law: Defence Secretary that it is simply Anne Caroline Ballingall McIntosh for Thirsk and “education policy in a broken 13th-century country”? Malton Mr Mitchell: I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his kind remarks. It is a tremendous advantage in Oral Answers to Questions the House and outside it that international development is regarded as a British policy and not a policy of any one of the three main political parties. On his point about education in Afghanistan, education is vital to INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT the future of Afghanistan and to building the capacity of that state. He will know that we now have more than 2 million girls in education in Afghanistan. The Secretary of State was asked— Departmental Expenditure Mr Alexander: I welcome the fact that the Secretary of State may have achieved the forced re-education of the Defence Secretary on the issue of value for money 1. Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) in DFID expenditure. Has he also secured the re-education (Con): What mechanism he plans to use to review the of the new Secretary of State for Scotland, the hon. value for money of his Department’s expenditure. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael [000441] Moore), who, according to correspondence that has now come into my possession, described as recently as The Secretary of State for International Development 20 April “the very real danger” of Conservative proposals (Mr Andrew Mitchell): We will fundamentally change to divert aid to military control? Who has got it wrong—the the way in which we look at the value for money of aid, Secretary of State for International Development or the moving from a focus on inputs to what our money Scottish Secretary? achieves—the outputs and outcomes we secure. We will gain maximum value for money for every pound through Mr Mitchell: I am afraid that I cannot comment on greater transparency, rigorous independent evaluation leaked documents that the shadow Secretary of State and an unremitting focus on results. has got. On his first point about the Secretary of State for Defence, perhaps I could draw his attention to the Stephen Metcalfe: May I take this opportunity to press conference that was given in Kabul by me and my welcome my right hon. Friend to the Dispatch Box and right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Defence to congratulate him on his new and important role? I and the Foreign Secretary. If the right hon. Gentleman am sure that Members on both sides of the House looks carefully at the text of that press conference, he recognise the important work he has done and will wish will see that one could not get a cigarette paper between him well in these very difficult economic times. Will he my views and those of the Secretary of State for Defence. reassure the House and my constituents that value for money will be at the heart of his Department’s vital work in tackling poverty in the poorest countries in the Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con): May I just say how world? delighted we all are to see my right hon. Friend and his colleagues on the Treasury Bench? They are a fantastic Mr Mitchell: I thank my hon. Friend for his kind team: he did brilliant work in opposition, and I am sure remarks. As I look around the House, I see Members on that he will do brilliant work in government. both sides who are passionate and knowledgeable about However much value for money my right hon. Friend international development. I look forward to building manages to get out of his Department, our colleagues on the progress made by the previous Government on in the G8 must also do their bit. The UK has met the this important agenda and I pay tribute to my predecessor, targets that we set ourselves at Gleneagles, but does he the shadow Secretary of State, the right hon. Member not find it a matter of concern that France, Germany for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Mr Alexander), for and Italy are so substantially lagging behind what they his work in particular on international aid effectiveness promised at Gleneagles that they would do to meet and co-ordination. those targets? 419 Oral Answers2 JUNE 2010 Oral Answers 420 Mr Mitchell: My hon. Friend is right that everyone aware that the situation in Darfur that I have described who signed up to those commitments at Gleneagles in is in many ways mirrored by what is going on in the 2005, in front of the international cameras of the world, south, where he will know that there has been an acute must honour them. We will be at pains to make it clear rise in food shortage and where more than £70 million that the vital development budget, which is so important, of British humanitarian relief is going in this year. I can should be supported by all the G8 countries. It is give him the undertaking that we will continue to work difficult to probe and indeed question countries in the hard to ensure that the referendum is conducted freely, developing world that do not live up to their commitments fairly and successfully, and that we are prepared for to their people if countries of the G8 do not live up to the results. the solemn commitments that they too have made in front of the world. Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op): I add my own congratulations to the right hon. Gentleman, Sudan and send best wishes to him and his team—for now. Given that we are still a long way from meeting the 2. Mr Tom Clarke (Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill) millennium development goals, particularly in Sudan, (Lab): What recent assessment he has made of the how will he and his colleagues use the remaining four humanitarian situation in Sudan; and if he will make a months before the UN’s poverty summit to help rebuild statement. [000442] the international momentum needed to achieve the goals? Will not one telling signal of the new Government’s The Secretary of State for International Development willingness to show leadership on this issue be whether (Mr Andrew Mitchell): The British Government are they bring forward legislation to put the UN’s aid target deeply concerned by the humanitarian emergency in of 0.7% on the statute book before that September Sudan. Recent fighting, particularly in Darfur and southern summit? Sudan, is causing further suffering and displacement. In 2010, we will provide emergency food, medicine, shelter, Mr Mitchell: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his water and sanitation for up to 5 million people. We warm wishes for now. On the second part of his question, continue to urge the Government of Sudan and rebel he will have seen in the coalition document that we are movements to improve access and security for humanitarian committed to enshrining in legislation our commitment workers. to an aid target of 0.7 % of gross national income by 2013. If he will bide his time in patience, he will see that Mr Clarke: In congratulating the right hon. Gentleman that is precisely what we will do. On his first point about on his appointment, may I ask that he assures the the critical importance of taking forward the agenda on House that, as a priority, this Government will continue the MDGs, which is so off-track at present, he will be to focus on Sudan? Will he bring the House up to date interested to hear that the Prime Minister will meet the by giving us his assessment of the current situation in Prime Minister of Canada tomorrow to discuss the east Sudan? approach of the G8 to the MDGs. In particular, in respect of MDG 5 concerning maternal mortality, which Mr Mitchell: I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his is so off-track, we have specific plans to try and give that comments, and I pay tribute to his consistent work on a boost. Sudan over recent years. He will be aware that nearly 300,000 people have died in Darfur as a result of this Russian Federation emergency: 2 million people are displaced, 2.4 million are on food aid, and fighting is still going on in Jebel 3.