August Column

Written by Malcolm Bruce MP on Tue 31st Jul 2007

Malcolm Bruce has seen at first-hand various projects funded by British development aid

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Contrasting development challenges in South East Asia

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The last two weeks of the summer Parliamentary term are always hectic as MPs work to clear their desks and committees finalise reports which have been in preparation for months.

My committee, the International Development Select Committee has been particularly busy with recent reports on Palestine and Sanitation and water and last week three reports published on Vietnam, Northern Uganda and Burma - three very different stories.

Vietnam is a development success story. The economy is growing, poverty is falling and the prospects of Vietnam becoming a middle income country within the next five years are real.

It seems that UK development funds are being put to good use and there is a positive relationship with the Vietnamese Government. This is a remarkable turnaround for a country that was divided and war torn only thirty years ago.

There are still issues to address. The role of women and ethnic minorities is particularly highlighted.

The bustling capital Hanoi with its legacy of French colonial architecture is buzzing with motor bikes laden with people and every kind of goods being transported.

As the economy improves and people graduate to cars this will turn to gridlock and pollution will soar. By contrast the poor but beautiful highlands risk being left behind. There remains the challenge.

By contrast, the state of Burma and the plights of its people is one of horror, repression and near hopelessness. A brutal military regime wages war on its population suppressing every challenge to its authority.

Democratic leaders are killed, jailed or exiled and villagers are driven from their homes to hide in the jungle prey to disease, hunger and further brutal reprisals.

Yet British aid to the Burmese people is a quarter of what we send to Zimbabwe. DFID has established a presence within Burma and through the Three Diseases Fund has helped tackle AIDs, malaria and TB.

However, millions of people are in dire straits receiving little or no support other than comes from community and faith groups inside the country, direct cash food or medical aid that cones from cross border agencies.

Millions have fled and thousands live in refugee camps over the border in neighbouring countries - especially Thailand. For that reason the committee has recommended quadrupling aid to Burmese refugees and displaced people and maintain a support presence in both Burma and Thailand and not close the Bangkok office as planned. We will hear the Government's response in the next couple of months.

Northern Uganda is looking to peace negotiations to end 21 years of brutal internal strife. The International Criminal Court, which has indicted the four remaining leaders of the Lord's Resistance Army has a key, but delicate role to play in enabling long term peace to be secured.

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Uncertain signals from end of term by-election

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The end of term was also marked by two Parliamentary by-elections in safe Labour seats which the Government held with reduced majorities over the Liberal Democrats.

The main message seemed to be that Gordon Brown was recovering some lost ground in Labour heartlands simply because he is not Tony Blair and the Tories have lost their way, coming a clear third in both contests.

This has led to mutterings of discontent within Conservative ranks over David Cameron's leadership. The majority of Tory activists want to talk about immigration, Europe and tax cuts and remain unreconstructed and right wing in their attitude.

Cameron knows that pleasing the activists will lose the centre ground he needs but Labour and Liberal Democrats have a stronger hold on the debate in this territory.

So Cameron has to face both ways and in so doing runs the risk of persuading nobody that the parry is any closer to a comeback than they have been under Hague, Duncan Smith or Howard.

The Liberal Democrats continue to be a strong third force and in many places are engaged in a straight fight with Labour or the Tories with the ability to make further advances.

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Executive compromises Aberdeen's energy ambitions

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The row over the Scottish bid to secure the Energy Technology Institute has continued since it was announced that Aberdeen had lost out to Glasgow in its claim to be the lead centre.

Although the university denies any undue pressure I believe this may be an example of the Scottish Executive over-reaching itself in interfering in an essential UK decision.

The proposal is for an institute combining the energy industry and academic institutions to raise innovation and long term competitiveness of Britain's energy industries.

Aberdeen with over 800 companies engaged in energy technology clearly has much to offer but four English bids have also been identified. There is no particular reason why a particularly Scottish bid was required. Aberdeen could have teamed up with Newcastle or Cambridge or London.

Civil servants in the Scottish executive appear to have sought a role it did not necessarily justify and in so doing rather than produce a strong bid have created division and resentment that may favour other bids.

I would have thought a public private UK Energy Technologies Institute without Aberdeen would be missing a vital ingredient.

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Assurances sought for north based cross border rail routes

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Arriva have taken over one of Virgin Train's cross-country franchises

The future role of railways has featured in announcements in the past two weeks by both Scottish and Westminster ministers leaving real issues for rail passengers in the North of Scotland.

The Scottish Executive needs to show greater commitment to investing in railways in the north.

UK Ministers need to demonstrate commitment to investing in the future of cross border rail travel originating in the north of Scotland.

I am still seeking clarification of the commitment to the East Coast mainline which often appears in the minds of ministers to finish at Edinburgh. There is not even a distant prospect of a rail service between Aberdeen and London which could compete with air travel but we need nevertheless to maintain or improve timekeeping and shorten journey times.

The cross country service to Penzance is being transferred from Virgin to Arriva. Part of the reason is to increase passenger capacity but this could be at the expense if comfort in the shape of older rolling stock, fewer toilets and no shop on board - for the UK's longest railway route.

I am seeking clarification from ministers and regulators on both routes.

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Aviation needs investment to address delays

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British Airways is facing stiff competition across the UK, including Aberdeen

Since the attack on Glasgow Airport increased security has led to delays and cancellations which have caused severe disruption at the height of the holiday season.

I have had meetings with the British Airports Authority who own and operate Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. I have also written to Willie Walsh the chief executive of British Airways.

Unsurprisingly the aviation industry is experiencing a downturn as people seek alternatives to air travel or transfer of continental airports.

It is clear to anyone that Heathrow is operating way over capacity and that any small disruption caused by weather, security or industrial action has immediate knock on effects.

Since BA got rid of all their ground staff in Aberdeen and outsourced baggage handling , at other airports customer service has plummeted, delays have increased and passengers have been mightily inconvenienced.

The airlines and airport managements blame each other but that does nothing to hep the passengers who are the losers.

BA is being beaten on price, quality of service, baggage handling and timekeeping and will be in serious trouble if it cannot turn things around soon.

BAA is facing a competition enquiry as to whether it should be forced to sell off some of its airports. This could have implications for Aberdeen as a change of management would bring renewed uncertainty at a time when it is experiencing growing traffic and new destinations for which business support is still fragile.

Investment is required for both airlines and airports. Of course it is welcome if people revisit the need for their air journeys and find alternatives. But business, social links and tourism will still require people to fly and the experiences need to be much better than people are suffering at the moment.

Malcolm Bruce MP

27 July 2007