To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which of his Department’s databases are (a) wholly and (b) partly operated by external organisations or individuals; and which organisations and individuals own those databases. (97771)

The following databases are operated by external organisations on behalf of DFID:

1. The Research 4 Development (R4D) portal and database of DFID-funded research, operated for DFID by the Communication and Information Management Resource Centre (CIMRC) consortium.

2. The NARSIS database of DFID-funded projects with natural resources components, operated for DFID by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS).

3. The Infrastructure Connect database of DFID-funded research engineering and infrastructure projects, operated for DFID by the CIMRC consortium.

In addition, DFID contributes data on a regular basis to the international AIDA directory of development projects and activities operated by the Development Gateway Foundation.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which databases operated by his Department are located (a) wholly and (b) partly outside the UK; and where each of those databases and parts of databases is located. (97772)

DFID contributes data on a regular basis to the international AIDA directory of development projects and activities operated by the Development Gateway Foundation in Philadelphia, USA.

DFID has a number of small databases which are maintained for internal operational purposes in its overseas offices. No central catalogue of these databases is maintained, and it could not be created without incurring disproportionate cost.