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Iraq: Young People

Answer

I have been asked to reply.DFID supports the Government of Afghanistan to deliver services to children and young people, including £55 million this year to fund the recurrent budget, which pays salaries of teachers and doctors. It is not possible to attribute an exact figure for funding which benefited young people, since, for example, health sector funding provides benefits for all age groups. However, the following table sets out our total contribution to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) for the last five years, and the estimated amount of this, which went to support the education budget:

£ million
Financial year	ARTF unpreferenced funding	Amount supporting education¹
2002-03	15	4.5
2003-04	30	9
2004-05	45	13.5
2005-06	45	13.5
2006-07	50	15
1 Around one-third each year.

In addition, DFID Afghanistan has committed £42 million (2003-10) to the Government of Afghanistan's National Solidarity Programme, which funds communities' own priority projects including health clinics, schools, and wells—all of which benefit young people.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has allocated £330,500 to projects that benefit young people in Afghanistan between 2004-05 and 2007-08. Examples of these projects include teacher training, vocational training and informal schooling for children who have not had access to the formal education system. And in 2006-07, the UK spent £6.2 million on Quick Impact Projects in Helmand, to improve local facilities, including £645,000 ($1.29 million) on schools and parks, which benefit young people.We have not specifically supported projects aimed at young people in Iraq. Our programme has focussed on supporting economic reform, governance and institutional building, providing essential infrastructure in southern Iraq, supporting civil society and political participation and addressing humanitarian needs. Since 2002-03, DFID has disbursed the following on bilateral assistance to Iraq:

£ million
Financial Year	Reconstruction and Development Assistance	Humanitarian Assistance	Total DFID Bilateral Programme
2002-03	0	18.8	18.8
2003-04	99.3	110	209.3
2004-05	27.7m	21.4	49.1
2005-06	82.1	4.8	86.9
2006-07	39.5	10.1	49.6
Total	248.6	165.1	413.7

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

158842; 465 c51-2W

Session

2006-07

Subjects

Development aid Iraq Young people Afghanistan

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk