§ Mr. Bryan Daviesasked the Minister for Overseas Development what action is being taken by Her Majesty's Government in response to the recent International Committee of the Red Cross (IRCS) appeal to Governments and voluntary organisations for funds to support their emergency relief work in the Lebanon.
§ Mr. PrenticeI have decided to make a grant-in-aid of £25,000 to the ICRC to enable it to continue its humanitarian programme of emergency medical assistance to those affected by the Lebanese conflict. This is in addition to medical452W supplies to the value of £22,300 already provided by Her Majesty's Government through the ODM Disaster Unit, in joint action with British voluntary agencies.
Parliamentary approval to this new service will be sought in the Winter Supplementary Estimates. Pending that approval, the necessary expenditure will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.