International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Bill

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 7—Alternative measures— ‘(1) The Secretary of State shall include in each annual report observations on the overall appropriateness and value of aid to developing countries, and set out such barriers to development as appear to him to be relevant in the countries to which bilateral aid is provided, for which action might be taken or recommended. (2) Such observations shall include the effects of third party regulations and controls, including those promulgated by the European Community, the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, which have the effect, whether unintentionally or not, of distorting or hampering development, or of slowing it down. (3) They shall also include observations on the civil and judicial structures in each country provided with bilateral aid, which either assist or hamper the development and enforcement of property rights and the resolution of disputes.'. Amendment No. 2, in clause 1, page 1, line 13, leave out subsection (4). Amendment No. 3, in page 2, line 1, leave out subsection (5). Amendment No. 4, in clause 2, page 2, line 5, leave out ‘must' and insert ‘shall so far as reasonably practicable'. Amendment No. 8, in clause 4, page 2, leave out line 18 and insert— ‘(i) European Community aid to which the UK contributes, and (ii) other multilateral aid to which the UK contributes,'. Amendment No. 11, in page 2, line 19, leave out from ‘effectiveness' to end of line 22 and insert ‘of bilateral aid in respect of each country where such aid provided by the UK was in excess of £10 million during the period covered by the report,'. Amendment No. 16, in page 2, line 20, leave out from ‘than' to end of line 22 and insert ‘those 20 countries which are the recipients of the greatest amount of United Kingdom bilateral aid'. Amendment No. 9, in page 2, line 20, leave out ‘20' and insert ‘30'. Amendment No. 10, in page 2, line 21, leave out from ‘20' to end of line 22 and insert ‘of the largest recipients of the said bilateral aid'. Amendment No. 13, in clause 5, page 3, line 2, leave out from ‘report' to ‘on' in line 3 and insert ‘general or specific observations'. Amendment No. 17, in page 3, line 4, after ‘departments', insert ‘, Government agencies and non departmental public bodies.'. Amendment No. 19, in clause 6, page 3, line 21, after ‘departments', insert ‘Government agencies and non departmental public bodies.'. Amendment No. 15, in page 3, line 32, at end insert— ‘(e) promoting the establishment of a link between the commitment of aid and the reduction of corruption in recipient countries.'. Amendment No. 22, in clause 7, page 3, line 36, after ‘departments', insert ‘Government agencies and non departmental public bodies'. Amendment No. 23, in page 3, line 41, at end insert ‘corruption,'. Amendment No. 24, in page 4, line 3, at end insert ‘poverty'. Amendment No. 25, in page 4, line 4, at end insert ‘sustainable development'. Amendment No. 5, in the schedule, page 5, line 3, leave out ‘must' and insert ‘shall so far as reasonably practicable'. Amendment No. 29, in page 5, line 24, at end insert— ‘(j) the best estimate of the amount of bilateral aid which has been misused, stolen or otherwise been diverted into fraudulent schemes,'. Amendment No. 30, in page 5, line 24, at end insert— ‘(k) the amount of bilateral aid which has been paid, directly or indirectly to nationals of any country, either directly or indirectly through their employment, who are not citizens of the countries to which the aid is nominally addressed,'. Amendment No. 31, in page 5, line 24, at end insert— ‘(l) the amount of bilateral aid which has been paid to companies, organisations or other enterprises which are not registered in the countries to which the aid is nominally addressed,'. Amendment No. 26, in page 6, line 14, leave out paragraph 7. Amendment No. 27, in page 6, line 20, at end insert— ‘(9) If any of the information required to be included in the annual report is not available at the time the report is prepared, an explanation as to the reason for such information not being available shall be included in the report.'.