Written question asked by Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 14 January 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 25 January 2005. It was answered by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Tuesday, 25 January 2005 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much Departmental funding is being spent in Sudan on the road verification contract implemented by the South African commercial company Mechem; how many mines have been found by (a) vehicle mounted detection systems, (b) dogs and (c) manual deminers working for Mechem; what width of either side of the centre line of the road is being cleared in accordance with the Mechem contract; and what width either side of the centre line of the road is required for the development agency GTZ to rebuild the road to the specifications recommended by the UN World Food Programme. - Inc figures.

Answer: Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much departmental funding is being spent in Sudan on the road verification contract implemented by the South African commercial company Mechem; how many mines have been found by (a) vehicle mounted detection systems, (b) dogs and (c) manual deminers working for Mechem; what width of either side of the centre line of the road is being cleared in accordance with the Mechem contract; and what width either side of the centre line of the road is required for the development agency GTZ to rebuild the road to the specifications recommended by the UN World Food Programme. [209615] Hilary Benn: The total amount of DFID funding allocated to the MECHEM road clearance contract to date is £1 million. 58 anti-tank mines and 169 items of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) have been found by the system, which comprises a combination of mechanical detection, dogs and manual demining. These three systems are used in an integrated manner and it is not possible to credit any one individual system as being responsible for locating mines and UXO. The original project called for four metres of clearance either side of the centre line. Following a request from the World Food Programme (WFP), which has contracted a company, GTZ, to undertake a temporary rehabilitation on the road, it was agreed to extend clearance to 6 metres either side of the centre line.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 209615; 430 c255W;430 c254W
Session: 2004-05
Subjects: Access Contracts Construction Development aid Bomb disposal Dogs Landmines Roads Vehicles Sudan Food aid World Food Programme
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk