§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funds his Department has been allocated in connection with humanitarian relief tasks(a) this year and (b) last year; and for what purposes. [104029]
§ Mr. IngramThe ambit of Defence Votes does not ordinarily include funding for humanitarian aid, which is a responsibility of the Department for International Development. Therefore, no funding was provided for this task in 2001–02. Funding will be provided in 2002–03, for the conflict in Iraq, to cover the United Kingdom's legal requirements under the 1949 Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilians in Time of War. The final amount required has yet to be determined.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance British forces are giving to the Department for International Development in respect of contingency plans for humanitarian relief missions in Iraq and the Gulf region. [104032]
§ Dr. MoonieEnsuring the provision of humanitarian relief to the people of Iraq, both during and immediately following any conflict, will be one of the coalition's highest priorities. Experts from the Department for International Development are embedded in the United Kingdom National Component Command Head-Quarters in Kuwait to advise the armed forces on how to address urgent humanitarian need in advance of UN agencies and NGOs being able to operate safely in a post-conflict environment.