§ Jonathan ShawTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much financial assistance he has set aside for reconstruction work in Iraq; and what areas of reconstruction the Government(a) is financially supporting and (b) plans to support. [119511]
§ Hilary BennI have been asked to reply.
DFID has so far committed £115 million towards humanitarian assistance in Iraq. This finance is channelled though the organisations best placed to deliver assistance on the ground: United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and NGOs. We have set aside a further £95 million for additional needs as they emerge.
In addition, HM Treasury has earmarked an extra £60 million from the Central Reserve to meet humanitarian and reconstruction needs in Iraq. £5 million of this has been allocated to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to fund UK secondees to the Coalition Provisional Authority. The remaining £55 million remains available as required.
The World Bank, International Monetary Fund and United Nations are undertaking social and economic needs assessments for Iraq. Decisions on future DFID assistance for reconstruction will reflect the needs identified in these assessments as well as the inputs proposed by other donors. We expect a donor conference on Iraq to be convened in the autumn.
DFID's interim humanitarian and rehabilitation strategy is available from the DFID website at www.dfid.org.uk