§ 15. Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total expenditure is in the current year by her Department on support for Western Sahara refugees in camps in Algeria. [84701]
§ Clare ShortOur assistance to the Saharawi refugees is channelled through contributions to the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO).
A new global plan for assistance to the Saharawi was agreed by the EC in May this year. This will provide 14.34 million euros (approximately £9 million) of assistance over a 15-month period. This brings the total assistance provided since 1993 to over 95 million euros, including over 79 million euros in food aid programme co-ordinated by ECHO, the World Food Programme and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Nearly 20 per cent. of this funding comes from my Department's budget.
The UK also supports refugees through UNHCR including, but not specifically, Saharawi in camps in Algeria. My Department has recently signed a four-year Institutional Strategy Paper with UNHCR which guarantees the agency core funding for the next four years. For 2002 this contribution is £14 million. As this contribution is unearmarked it is difficult to ascertain exactly how much of the £14 million is spent in the context of this specific refugee situation.