To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what (a) UK and (b) EU aid is planned to be provided to the Solomon Islands in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement; (178549)

DFID is currently developing detailed plans for allocating its budget over the three-year period 2008-09 to 2010-11 following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review announced in October. Individual country and regional allocations will not be finalised until March 2008.

Under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF10) the EU have committed to spend €13.2 million on development activities in the Solomon Islands. Indicative annual totals are €0.8 million in 2008, €11.2 million in 2009 and €1.2 million in 2010. In addition, the Solomon Islands may receive small amounts of funding from thematic lines within the Development Cooperation Instrument of the EU Budget; commitments against these lines are made by theme and not for specific countries.

The UK does not currently have any bilateral aid programmes in the Solomon Islands but does provide a small amount of support in the form of pensions for ex-colonial employees. The UK does provide bilateral aid to the Pacific region and multilateral assistance to a range of organisations, some of which may be used for development activities in the Solomon Islands.

Details of the UK’s bilateral assistance and imputed multilateral assistance to Solomon Islands over the last 10 years are laid out in the following tables.

As part of the DFID performance management system for its bilateral portfolio, DFID evaluates its projects effectiveness on an annual basis, and once projects are complete. DFID contacts all its overseas pension recipients on an annual basis to ensure they still qualify for their pensions.