§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the(a) nutritional needs of and (b) the supply of clean water to residents in the Gaza Strip. [175349]
Mr. Gareth ThomasA food security assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Food Programme during 2003 found that1670W approximately 41 per cent. of the population of the Gaza Strip are "food insecure", with a further 28 per cent. at risk of becoming so. Another nutritional assessment done in 2002 by Johns Hopkins and Al-Quds Universities looked at children six to 59 months, and found that in the Gaza Strip 13.3 per cent. bad acute malnutrition (wasting), and 17.5 per cent. had chronic malnutrition (stunting). The United Nations Relief and Works Agency provides emergency food aid to an estimated 128,000 families.
Palestinians have very low water consumption. Per capita Palestinian water consumption in Gaza is 88 litres/day, compared with a World Health Organisation recommended basic minimum for developing countries of 100 litres/day. The United States Aid to International Development (USAID) is leading a major programme of activities to increase the quantities of water available for water supply in Gaza. This includes protection and management of the coastal aquifer, which is the only local source of freshwater in Gaza. USAID has also agreed to fund the construction of a desalination plant that will purify up to 20 million cubic metres of sea water each year, equivalent to nearly 40 per cent. of Gaza's current municipal consumption. A main water pipeline the length of Gaza will also be constructed to distribute high-quality water throughout the Gaza Strip.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds are being made available to send aid to Gaza Strip following recent Israeli action. [175350]
Mr. Gareth ThomasA UN-led needs assessment in Rafah is currently being finalised. DFID will look closely at this when judging if and how we should respond.