§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much food aid has been contributed by Her Majesty's Government to meet the food aid needs in Africa; and what have been the bilateral donations from EC member states, the United States and other bilateral donors.
§ Mrs. ChalkerSince September 1990 Britain has committed 158,000 tonnes of food aid to Ethiopia, Sudan, Mozambique, Angola and Malawi. The United States of America and European Community, the largest donors, have so far pledged 815,000 tonnes and 685,000 tonnes respectively to these same countries. On 2 May the European Community agreed to provide a further 400,000 tonnes for Africa as a whole. Full details of individual contributions made by other donors are not yet available on the same basis.
§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give his assessment of food aid needs to meet the current famines in Africa; and what are the comparable figures produced by the European Commission and the World Food Programme.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe European Commission's most recent assessment suggests a total emergency food aid requirement of some 4.5 million tonnes for the whole of 1991 based on an estimated 31 million people affected in 12 countries in Africa. According to the Commission this estimate has been checked with the FAO, the World Food Programme, Canada and the United States of America. We agree broadly with it.