To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to the public purse will be of the provision of the recently announced 20 million bed nets to tackle malaria in Africa; what the cost per bed bet is; what estimate he has made of the expenditure that will be incurred in (a) administering the programme and (b) distributing the bed nets; whether the Government will meet all the associated costs; and from what budget such funding will be drawn. (206672)

On the basis of current prices the Department for International Development (DFID) anticipates that the total costs for the 20 million bed nets over the three-year period 2008-10 will be in the region of £90 million. This estimate is based on a bed net cost of around £2.50 and a further £2 per net for costs of programme administration, distribution and delivery. DFID will support delivery through its country programmes.

In some countries the overhead and delivery costs may be met by other organisations or the recipient Government. The UK’s contribution is additional to its contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and UNITAID which should play a central role in supporting provision of bed nets and other essential health commodities and drugs. We also look to these organisations to play a catalytic role in pushing down on prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which individuals and organisations were consulted prior to the Prime Minister’s announcement of the provision of 20 million bed nets to tackle malaria in Africa; and what (a) his Department’s and (b) the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit’s role was in the development of the policy. (206673)

The Department for International Development (DFID) consulted several organisations prior to the Prime Minister’s announcement on the provision of 20 million bed nets, including Malaria No More, experts at UNICEF and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Simultaneously DFID sought the views of its health advisers based in country offices in Africa and Asia.

Responsibility in Whitehall for UK support to developing countries in responding to malaria rests with DFID. The Prime Minister’s office was consulted throughout. The Delivery Unit was not involved in the development of the policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations his Department plans to work with in distributing bed nets to tackle malaria in Africa; what steps his Department plans to take to ensure efficient delivery; who will determine where the bed nets are to be distributed and on what criteria; which countries he expects to be the primary beneficiaries; and according to what timetable delivery will take place. (206674)

The Department for International Development (DFID) will work with a range of partners to ensure bed nets are distributed and delivered effectively. We will work to strengthen recipient government systems for delivering bed nets. Decisions on where the bed nets will be distributed and on what criteria, as well as the role of partners such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, will be based on country needs and will be made in-country by DFID’s country programmes.

Delivery will be monitored in accordance with DFID’s standard arrangements. We expect the countries that will benefit from UK-funded bed nets shall include Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, Congo, and Mozambique. The timetable for delivery over the period 2008-10 will be determined by the individual countries’ needs and capacity and the most efficient means of delivery.