HC Deb 21 July 1994 vol 247 cc476-7W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what current assessment his Department has made of the scale of the refugee situation in those states of east Africa bordering on to countries in which there is civil war and starvation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry

According to latest information received from UNHCR, there are the following number of refugees from other countries in the region: Ethiopia 250,000; Somalia 400; Sudan 750,000; Kenya 370,000; Uganda 300,000; Tanzania 1.025 million. It is not known how many refugees there are in Eritrea.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions his Department has had with voluntary aid agencies and churches in the United Kingdom on action to alleviate the plight of refugees in those states of east Africa bordering on the countries in which there is civil war and starvation; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what discussions his Department has had with voluntary aid agencies and churches in the United Kingdom on action to alleviate the plight of refugees in Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development regularly meets representatives of non-governmental organisations about humanitarian assistance in the Horn of Africa, including Somalia. In addition ODA representatives regularly attend meetings of the Africa committee of the Refugee Council to discuss current matters of concern.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department has done to alleviate the plight and suffering of refugees in those states of east Africa bordering on to countries in which there is civil war and starvation over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry

In addition to the substantial programmes for Rwandan refugees and for humanitarian assistance to Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan, the United Kingdom has provided in the past twelve months over £1.1 million in refugee grants for projects run by United Kingdom non-government organisations in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and eastern Sudan.

In addition, £1 million was paid to the United Nations high commissioner for refugees towards care and maintenance programmes for Somali and other refugees in Kenya. At the same time £500,000 was provided to UNHCR for maintenance of Somali refugee camps in Ethiopia and the reintegration of Ethiopian refugees and for a repatriation programme for Ethiopian refugees from Sudan.