(11 years, 6 months ago)
Written StatementsI, together with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for International Development, the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), and the Secretary of State for Defence, the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), wish to update the House about our plans for funding conflict prevention, stabilisation and peacekeeping activities through the conflict resources settlement over the next two financial years. Our written ministerial statement of 19 November 2012, Official Report, column 19WS, provided details of planned allocations, covering both the conflict pool and the peacekeeping budget, for the 2010 spending round period. This statement updates the House on adjustments made to these planned allocations.
We have now reviewed conflict pool allocations for FY2013/14 and FY14/15. We intend that this funding continue to be spent within the strategic context set out by the building stability overseas strategy (BSOS). Delivering this strategy is an important priority for the Government. Enhancing genuine stability by supporting the development of societies with strong and legitimate institutions which can manage tensions peacefully is central to our national interests.
The size of the settlement increased to £664 million in FY 13/14, with the peacekeeping budget continuing to have first call on available resources. Taking into account the significant savings we secured at the UN in FY12/13, in particular in the tri-annual negotiations on the scale of contributions, £435 million has been set aside for peacekeeping budget requirements. Based on this we have allocated £229 million to the conflict pool in FY 13/14. This represents an increase of £20 million over the £209 million allocated in FY 12/13.
For FY14/15 we currently have less certainty about peacekeeping demands. We have provisionally estimated a peacekeeping top-up of £85 million from the conflict pool, giving a projected available allocation of £224 million for conflict pool programmes. Once the position is clearer, and further negotiations on UK contributions to UN peacekeeping have taken place, we will update these figures and would expect to be able to allocate some additional funding to the conflict pool for the FY 14/15. The table below shows the details.
Year | FY11/12 | FY12/13 | FY13/14 | FY14/15 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Total allocation | 630 | 644 | 664 | 683 |
Peacekeeping agreed claim on the Treasury reserve | 374 | 374 | 374 | 374 |
Peacekeeping top up from pool | 76 | 61 | 61 | 85 |
Conflict pool | 180 | 209 | 229 | 224 |
Programme | FY 13/14 (£m) | FY 14/15 (£m) |
---|---|---|
Afghanistan | 45 | 25 |
Middle east and north Africa | 39 | 35 |
Africa | 51.5 | 45 |
Wider Europe | 36 | 36 |
South Asia | 20 | 23 |
Strengthening alliances and partnerships | 10 | 13.5 |
Stabilising unit | 10.8 | 10.6 |
Early action facility | 20 | 20 |
Unallocated | - | 15.9 |
Total | 232.3* | 224 |
* includes over £3.3 million over allocation |