To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of responses to full funding applications submitted to his Department were delayed in each of the last five years. (135628)

DFID does not keep a central record of the response rates achieved under the various funding schemes run across the Department. Information for three of the largest current schemes is given as follows.

Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF) and Development Awareness Fund (DAF):

In each of the last five years, final decisions about CSCF and DAF proposals have been rescheduled beyond original target dates, as a result of external circumstances and the need to carry out thorough due diligence checks across a wide range of organisations. In all cases, applicants have been kept fully informed about revised timetables and delays have been kept to a minimum (no greater than four weeks and usually significantly less). We inform all applicants of the results of their applications at the same time.

Conflict and Humanitarian Fund:

This fund has only been running for three years. Applications may be submitted either for Unearmarked (also known as Programmatic) funding or for project funding. There are two different application processes for these. For Unearmarked funding there is a one stage process, under which applicants submit a statement of intent. For project funding there is a two-stage process, under which applicants submit a short concept note. If their application is short-listed they are invited to submit a full project proposal. Figures for delays in informing applicants whether their concepts had been short-listed are provided in the answer I gave the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green today (UIN 135627). The figures for delays in informing applicants of decisions on full project proposals and statements of intent are as follows: