§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Somalia.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe Government are deeply concerned by the continuing instability in Somalia. We have called on the parties to halt the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas in Mogadishu and to allow secure distribution of humanitarian relief supplies. We continue to support international initiatives to bring about a ceasefire. We deplore the refusal of some Somali leaders to accept mediation.
On 8 January I announced a further £2.2 million food aid, raising the total humanitarian aid to Somalia since January 1991 to £7.42 million, including our share of EC assistance.