§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of difficulties relating to customs controls being encountered by those taking goods into Mozambique by(a) air and (b) road. [113455]
§ Clare ShortThere have been some difficulties in clearing relief items through Mozambican customs as officials were initially overwhelmed by the influx of goods. To increase the flow of items through customs, an additional three customs officials were positioned in Maputo airport by the Mozambican authorities. Staff in the British High Commission have also been working tirelessly to assist these efforts.
Since 1996, DFID and its predecessor the ODA has also been providing substantial support to the Mozambican government for their programme to reform 622W and modernise its Customs Department. We have provided some £10 million in support for this project thus far.
§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department first asked the Ministry of Defence to provide helicopters to help in the Mozambique crisis. [113457]
§ Clare ShortWe first asked the Ministry of Defence what military assets were available in the region on Saturday 26 February. At that point we were informed that no military assets were available within 3,000 miles of Mozambique.
§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department first sought helicopters to assist in the Mozambique crisis. [113458]
§ Clare ShortWe provided the World Food Programme with US$1 million for helicopter operations on Saturday 26 February. This support allowed the South African Defence Force to continue their essential rescue and relief operations. Commercial helicopters were sought simultaneously.
§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department has hired helicopters from Captain McKenzie of Nairobi to help in the Mozambique crisis. [113459]
§ Clare ShortWe have received many offers for the hire of helicopters both from the region and also further afield. My officials were grateful for Captain McKenzie's offer of assistance, but following advice from our air operations experts DFID contracted helicopters through alternative regional sources.
§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department was first informed of an impending flood crisis in Mozambique; and what action she took at that stage. [113456]
§ Clare ShortMy Department has permanent staff based in Maputo who have been monitoring the floods since mid January. In collaboration with our field based staff, specialists from my Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department began detailed surveillance of the floods on 24 January. We deployed two humanitarian specialists to the region on 11 February. They conducted rapid assessments and liaised with the Mozambican authorities and humanitarian organisations over priority needs. We despatched a consignment of over 400 tents on 12 February from the UK to Maputo for the Red Cross to distribute for emergency shelter to those made homeless. We also supported the early deployment of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordination Team. Between 11 and 16 February, my Department channelled some £1.1 million for immediate relief through the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, International Federation of the Red Cross, World Vision, Oxfam and ActionAid.
Following a sudden deterioration in the situation overnight on 25 February, staff from the field contacted DFID London on Saturday 26 February. We immediately contacted the United Nations at a high level to facilitate a quick response by the UN humanitarian organisations. On the same afternoon, recognising the seriousness of the situation, DFID provided the World Food Programme 623W with US$1 million for helicopter operations. This support allowed the South African Defence Force to continue their essential rescue and relief operations.
We have also mobilised an additional nine helicopters, including four from the RAF, to assist with the rescue and relief effort. To assist with the effective tasking of all helicopters, we have seconded a logistics expert into the World Food Programme. But helicopters are not the total answer. We also deployed 70 boats and specialist trained crews, together with a number of large capacity self-inflating life rafts.
We have also arranged through the Ministry of Defence for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fort George to be deployed off Mozambique. The ship will arrive at the end of this week and will provide a further five helicopters to assist in the air relief operations. DFID has already contributed over £7.2 million for rescue and immediate relief including the provision of shelter, water, sanitation and health support. This funding has been channelled through the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, World Food Programme, Red Cross, ActionAid, Oxfam, Save the Children Fund and World Vision. These activities are being co-ordinated with the Mozambican authorities. We stand ready to provide further assistance.
§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy to procure the services of all available lifting helicopters in the armed services for deployment in relief operations in Mozambique; and if she will make a statement. [112745]
§ Clare ShortWe will continue to base our decisions during humanitarian emergencies on the needs on the ground; resources available locally and regionally, details of assets available from the Ministry of Defence, their speed of response and operational viability and how they compare to available alternatives. We will always seek to use the UK development assistance budget as effectively as possible in order to maximise the benefit of the budget for people affected by humanitarian emergencies.
In addition to providing US$1 million to the World Food Programme for the continued operation of the South African Defence Force helicopters on 26 February. A further five helicopters and support crew were sourced from the region on February 29.
On 1 March we provided resources for the Ministry of Defence to deploy four Royal Air Force Puma helicopters to Mozambique to assist with the rescue and relief efforts. On 2 March we also provided resources to the MOD to deploy the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Fort George to the coast of Mozambique so that its five Sea King helicopters can assist with the relief operation.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of the problems of soil erosion and deforestation in the hinterland of the Mozambique river system; and if she will make a statement. [112699]
§ Mr. FoulkesDFID has programmes that address soil conservation in both countries that form the hinterland of Mozambique's main river systems. In South Africa we support water resource management and forest conservation programmes within the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. In Zimbabwe, DFID is helping624W communities in the head waters of the Save and Runde rivers to reduce erosion and siltation while working to form user-led catchment councils to manage better the water resources in their areas.