Question time briefing: International development

ePolitix.com reports on Wednesday's questions to international development ministers.

Development minister Ivan Lewis has announced that a "patent pool" is to be launched for HIV/AIDS medicines.

During international development questions in the Commons, Lewis said the time had come for pharmaceutical companies to "respond positively" to initiatives designed to drive down prices and improve access to drugs in the developing world.

He said the aim was to reduce the cost of HIV/AIDS medication by £50m a year.

British drug company GlaxoSmithKline has said it would put all relevant patents into a pool designed to facilitate research into drugs for neglected diseases.

Lewis also welcomed the removal of "ideological barriers" from American development policy that he said had prevented effective action on HIV/AIDS education and prevention.

"We have to be innovative and imaginative and use all tools available", he added.

Under the previous American administration the so called "global gag rule" denied American funds to non governmental organisations that provided abortion services or counselling.

Hillary Armstrong (Lab, North West Durham) pressed the minister to ensure the government maintained a commitment to support poor countries, despite the current global economic down turn.

Lewis said that this was not the moment for the world to retreat from its commitment to the developing world.

Responding to a similar line of questioning from Andrew Stunell (Lib Dem, Hazel Grove), the minister said that the government remained committed to its goal of contributing 0.7 per cent of GNI to development by 2013.

Shadow international development secretary Andrew Mitchell accused the government of a "breach of faith" and of "dithering" over proposals for a new airport on the island of St. Helena.

Mitchell said the government had a "duty to the people of St. Helena" to resolve the issue.

Development minister Michael Foster argued that the government had to take the "global economic downturn into account" when coming to a decision on whether to fund the airport.

However he said he did not wish to pre-judge the outcome of a consultation on the issue which will begin in April.

Ann Snelgrove (Lab, South Swindon) whose constituency has a substantial population of St. Helena residents said the government "should not delay 21st century transport links for the remote island".

Turning to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the international development secretary, Douglas Alexander, said that it was a "matter of regret" that Israel was not referring to a "long established list of trusted materials" when it decided what supplies to allow into the war-torn territory.

Alexander expressed dissatisfaction that banned substances included paper, and pasta, but not rice.

Joan Humble (Lab, Blackpool North and Fleetwood) echoed the concerns of many MPs, when she asked for assurances that UK aid was not falling into the hands of Hamas.

Alexander said the UK did not want aid used by militants, but had called for full and unfettered access for humanitarian provisions.

There were "robust mechanisms for supervision" he added

Liberal Democrat development spokesman Michael Moore expressed concern that "only a fifth" of aid was getting into Gaza.

He pressed the development secretary to "spell out" to the Israelis what action they must take, and what the consequences would be if they failed to act.

Gerald Kaufman (Lab, Manchester Gorton) named the incoming Israeli government as the nation's "most extreme in history".

"Is it not lamentable that money provided is simply going to rectify the wanton devastation inflicted savagely by Israeli forces in Gaza" he said.

The actions of the Israeli Defence Forces were also highlighted by David Winnick (Lab, Walsall North), who called for an investigation into allegations of war crimes.

He said that whilst he had "no time" for Hamas, more should be done by the international community to make sure that those who committed war crimes were brought to justice.

Addressing the issue of illegal logging in developing countries, development minister Gareth Thomas announced that UK public procurement laws governing the use of timber would be strengthened.

Andrew Pelling (Con, Croydon Central) called for more international oversight of rainforests.

Thomas said that whilst illegal loggers were difficult to deal with, the UK was working with Guyana and others to help governments tackle the problem.