Disaster Relief (Hansard, 3 July 1996)

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, we have increased our capacity to assess, co-ordinate and monitor the increased level of disaster relief, including food aid, in recent years. I am confident that this capacity meets the current need and that we have public support for an effective British response to overseas emergencies.

§ The Earl of Sandwich
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. Does he not agree that the exceptional level of emergency aid over the past three or four years has distorted the image of aid giving and could diminish public support for it? On a day when 10 leading development agencies have issued a common manifesto on this subject, will the Minister at least accept that the war against poverty and attempts at long-term development are not receiving the public attention that they deserve?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, we continue to provide both a substantial aid programme and timely and adequate responses to the world's emergencies, whether natural disasters or conflict. We manage to make adequate provision each year for foreseeable relief aid without detrimental effect on the sustainable aspects of the aid programme. I believe that we retain public support for both.
The UK aid programme is firmly poverty-focused. About two-thirds of the bilateral aid programme went to the poorest countries in 1994–95 and aid to those countries is on grant terms. While the amount of emergency aid has increased, it is interesting that as a percentage of the total ODA programme the amount of overseas aid for 1991–92 was £271 million. In 1994–95, it was £334 million, but that was also 14 per cent. of the total ODA programme. Therefore, while the amount is increasing, the percentage is not.

§ Viscount Waverley
My Lords, what are the Government doing to help those countries most prone to disasters?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, in 1994–95, which is the latest year for which figures are available, the UK spent nearly £3.7 million in support of programmes aimed at preventing and mitigating the effects of disasters. Particular attention was paid to those countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean which are particularly susceptible to disasters. Many of the projects were implemented by UK NGOs working with the local authorities in the countries concerned. We also support a number of initiatives managed by international agencies such as the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs.

§ Lord Rea
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that in the document published today by the leading aid NGOs which was mentioned by the noble Earl, A Case for Aid, under the heading "Spend Now and Save Later" it is stated: Aid can promote long-term development and growth, and by spending now we can save lives and resources and protect the environment"? Does the Minister agree with that?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, I totally agree with that. That has been the Government's policy for many years.

§ Lord Judd
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the very large amounts of money which have been spent on emergency aid programmes are necessitated frequently by the failure of the international community to act in time to prevent disaster? Does he not agree that the solution to that problem lies in the political sphere rather than in the aid sphere? As we come up to the time for the election or re-election of the Secretary General of the United Nations, will the Minister tell us what consultations the Government are having with other governments, not least in Europe, to decide the criteria by which that election or re-election should take place in terms of the role which the United Nations should be constructively playing in preventing disasters?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, I do not think that it is appropriate for me to talk about the Secretary General 1448 of the United Nations at the moment. There is a Question on that matter next week, and that is when I should like to deal with it.
The noble Lord knows our attitude to aid. We are trying to encourage everyone to produce aid as effectively as we do on a bilateral basis. We shall certainly continue to do that.

§ Lord Hylton
My Lords, as long as there are surplus foods and foods in intervention, is it not right that they should be used for emergency relief?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, we provide a substantial amount of food, and cereals in particular, for emergency relief. Our allocation through the EU this year is 110,770 tonnes of cereals. In fact, last year we provided 205,000 tonnes of cereals. One of the great difficulties with food relief is that the food which is given must be compatible with the diets of the people for whom it is intended. It is no good providing them with food which may have disastrous consequences for them if they are not used to eating those foods.

§ Baroness Gardner of Parkes
My Lords, will my noble friend comment on the monitoring element of the Question? Does he consider that, for example, the distribution of the food is carried out properly?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, we have been increasing the monitoring which has been done. It would not be accurate for me to say that all distribution is carried out perfectly because we are not living in a perfect world. However, we have increased the amount of monitoring, and we are increasing the number of UK-trained, aid-educated people who are now working together with the EU in Europe.

Earl Grey
My Lords, does the Minister recognise also the other NGOs which play such an important part in disaster relief?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, I am delighted to pay tribute to the efforts of British NGOs in disaster relief. They are often among the first to bring life-saving relief to those affected by conflicts and natural disasters. British Government support for the excellent specialist NGOs is an important element of our response to emergencies.