To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the progress of CDC Capital Partners managed investment funds within the last 12 months. [115349]

Since the strategic review of CDC in 2002, the organisation has yet to launch any new dedicated managed investment funds.CDC currently manages and continues to invest our three existing managed funds, Commonwealth Africa Investment Fund; South Asia Regional Fund; and Nandi Investments. CDCs joint venture, Aureos Capital, has already raised funds from third party investors for a Central American SME fund and is in the process of raising funds for three regional African SME funds.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the privatisation of CDC Capital Partners. [115351]

CDC Capital Partners, the trading name of CDC Group plc, a company wholly owned by the government, was established in 1999 as a result of the Commonwealth Development Corporation Act. We have no plans to privatise this company. We are however currently in the process of preparing for its reorganisation. The purpose and format of this reorganisation were set out in a Written Statement tabled by the Secretary of State for International Development on 27 November 2002,Official Report, column 37WS. It was also described in evidence given by Ministers, officials and CDC management to the Select Committee on International Development in December 2002.Since then, preparations have been proceeding on the lines described and it is hoped to reach agreement with a view to implementing the plans by the end of the year. I plan to table a further Written Statement in due course.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on CDC Capital Partners investment strategy in sub-Saharan Africa; and whether it has changed in the last 12 months. [115352]

Following a strategic review in 2002, it was concluded that CDC would narrow its focus and concentrate on making investments in defined geographies and sectors—primarily, Africa and South Asia and the SME and power sectors. It is intended that CDC will raise third party funds for Africa later this year.Over the past 12 months, CDC has made some significant new investments within the power, agribusiness and consumer business sectors in Africa. Its joint venture, Aureos Capital, is in the process of raising funds for three regional African SME funds. CDC remains committed to growing sustainable businesses in Africa.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what plans there are to attract private capital investors in CDC Capital Partners. [115353]

There are no plans to attract private capital investors in CDC Capital Partners as such.However, the mobilisation of private capital for the benefit of poorer developing countries is the fundamental objective of the proposed reorganisation of CDC. As part of this re-organisation, it is planned that CDCs investments will be made through specialised funds, dealing with specific sectors or geographical areas. Private sector co-investment into these funds will be actively sought and it is expected that fund raising will start later this year.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the progress of CDC Capital Partners in attracting private sector co-investment. [115354]

In August 2002, it was announced that, from 2003, CDC would organise its investment activities through specialised funds. This reorganisation is progressing well and it is intended that fund raising, which will include attracting private sector co-investment, will start later this year.CDCs joint venture, Aureos Capital, has already raised funds from third party investors for a Central American SME fund and is in the process of raising funds for three regional African SME funds.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list (a) the countries in which CDC Capital Partners has opened offices since July 2002, (b) the location of those offices and (c) the staff assigned to each office. [115358]

:No new offices have been opened since July 2002.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what rate of return has been achieved on each CDC Capital Partners investment by (a) sector and (b) country since 1997. [115360]

The cost involved in gathering all the data requested would be disproportionate.However, CDCs annual overall portfolio performance before costs since 1997 has been as follows.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list CDC Capital Partners (a) investments and (b) disposals by (i) sector, (ii) size and (iii) country since July 2002. [115365]

I have placed spreadsheets in the Library, entitled CDC Capital Partners Investments which give the relevant information.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what level of debts has been accrued by CDC Capital Partners in the form of government loans allocated by the Department. [115366]

CDC Capital Partners took over £755 million in interest-free loans made to the former Commonwealth Development Corporation by DFID. No new loans have been made to CDC Capital Partners since then.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many Commonwealth nationals employed by CDC Capital Partners have been made redundant since July 2002. [115367]

16 Commonwealth (including UK) nationals have been made redundant since July 2002. This is mainly due to office closures or the fact that certain CDC-employed Commonwealth nationals have bought out a business from CDC or have stayed with the new owners of a business that CDC has sold.Since July 2002, CDC has taken on in employment 31 Commonwealth nationals. CDCs total staff levels have increased by one since July 2002, rising from 303 to 304.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list CDC Capital Partners agricultural (a) investments and (b) disposals (i) by country and (ii) by sector since July 2002. [115368]

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list the (a) assets, (b) liabilities, (c) equity and retained earnings and (d) net income of CDC Capital Partners in each of the last five quarters. [115364]

The information requested is as follows:

Since July 2002, the following new agricultural/agribusiness investments have been made: