§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 15 April,Official Report, column 35, what refugee movements were anticipated by the United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation, what requests were made to member states, and on what specific dates.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggOn 11 January the office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator launched a regional plan of action in anticipation that a large number of people would be displaced by a conflict in the Gulf. This plan was based on 100,000 refugees arriving in each of Jordan, Turkey, Iran and Syria. UNDRO, on behalf of the United Nations humanitarian agencies and the International Organisation for Migration, made an urgent appeal for United States $38 million, 25 per cent. of their anticipated costs. Pledges from the international community quickly totalled some United States $58 million. The United Kingdom donated United States $1 million.
On 5 April UNDRO asked donors for the remaining 75 per cent. of its 11 January appeal. On 11 April, as the full scale of the exodus in the north of Iraq became clear, UNDRO launched an updated plan covering assistance to 1.5 million refugees in Turkey and Iran. UNDRO estimated the cost of its programme at United States $400 million, subsuming its original appeal for United States $152 million. UNDRO is appealing to donors for United States $300 million immediately.
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 5 April, the United Kingdom will be contributing up to £20 million to the appeals by the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies.