§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West, of 25 April,Official Report, column 520; if he will now consider establishing safe havens in southern Iraq.
§ The Prime MinisterWe remain very concerned by the situation of refugees in southern Iraq. We believe the best way forward is to continue our support for the work of the United Nations, including the establishment of a humanitarian centre in Basra and the expansion of relief efforts in the area. We welcome the Secretary General's decision to send a high-level fact finding mission to the south to assess humanitarian needs.
§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Prime Minister when he will answer the letters on behalf of the organisation British Aid for the Kurds of 17 April and 11 June sent to him by Mrs. Judith P. Stubbs of Culthorpe, Chesterfield.
§ The Prime MinisterThe letter sent in April by Mrs. Stubbs was among the 3,500 letters about Iraq and kind offers of help for the Kurds received by my office at that time. These were sent as appropriate to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Overseas Development Administration to take forward.
The ODA has been in frequent contact with British Aid for Kurds since April to offer advice on the changing types of aid that would be most useful to the Kurds as the situation developed. The ODA chartered two Iran Air flights which carried over 90 tonnes of aid collected by British Aid for the Kurds. A reply to Mrs. Stubbs's latest letter will be sent shortly.