HC Deb 17 July 1985 vol 83 cc152-3W
Mr. Hancock

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his future plans for the relief of the famine in the Horn of Africa.

Mr. Rifkind

We plan to spend at least £60 million on famine relief in Africa during the 1985–86 financial year. This will be allocated to countries on the basis of need. Among the countries in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is likely to continue to be the major recipient. We shall also maintain the capacity within the aid programme to respond to appeals for famine relief from elsewhere.

Mr. Hancock

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been sent to the Horn of Africa as defined by country and per month since June 1984 for the following categories (a) the amount of financial aid, (b) the number of vehicles sent, (c) the number of aircraft sent and (d) the number of personnel sent.

Mr. Rifkind

Information on the emergency assistance we have provided to the countries in the Horn of Africa viz Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti, since June 1984 is set out in the following table. This information does not include our share of European Community emergency assistance to these three countries, nor the British response to appeals from international agencies for the famine in Africa, from which these countries are likely to benefit.

Ethiopia
Month Funds committed £000* Vehicles given Aircraft sent† Personnel provided‡ Somalia Funds committed £'000 Djibouti Funds committed £'000
August — — — — 3 —
September — — — — — —
October 6,560 — — — 5 —
November 2,350 9 5 — ║42 —
December 4,810 12 4 — 50 —
January 1985 4,600 2 2 2 — —
February 1,750 11 2 — — —
March 1,710 3 9 — — —
April 1,750 2 2 1 67 —
May 2,880 12 2 — — —
June 2,328 — 2 — 500 —

Notes:

*includes cost of vehicles, aircraft and personnel.

† from November 1984 includes two RAF Hercules each month; other aircraft are special charter flights.

‡provided directly by ODA; does not include personnel provided by agencies from grants by ODA.

║ includes two vehicles.

¶ includes 1 chartered aircraft.

● one water container.