HC Deb 26 April 1991 vol 189 cc578-9W
Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list how many officials from the Overseas Development Administration have visited concentrations of refugees on either side of the borders between(a) Iraq and Turkey and (b) Iraq and Iran, since 27 March.

Mrs. Chalker

Officials from the British embassies in Ankara and Tehran have made regular visits to both areas. The Overseas Development Administration's chief medical adviser, Dr. Nabarro, also visited Turkey from 9–14 April. He accompanied the Minister for Overseas Development and her team, including two officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Overseas Development Administration, on a visit to Turkey and Iran from 18–21 April. Dr. Nabarro is now based in Turkey as the United Kingdom's co-ordinator of the relief effort, and is supported by a member of the British embassy in Ankara.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each date since 3 April, what tonnage of aid was delivered into the hands of Iraqi refugees in areas on both sides of the borders between(a) Iraq and Turkey and (b) Iraq and Iran.

Mrs. Chalker

The tonnage of aid, delivered by RAF C130 Hercules and Chinook helicopter airdrops to the refugees on the Turkish border with Iraq up to 24 April was as follows:

Date C130s Chinooks
8 April 10.3
10 April 31.0
11 April 21.1
12 April 20.5
13 April 19.2
14 April 18.3
15 April 17.3
17 April 9.3
18 April 22.8
19 April 25.4
20 April 20.5
21 April 27.1 110
22 April 123.4 130
23 April 123.4 130
24 April 123.4 130
Total 313.0 1100
1 Denotes estimate.

We estimate that, as of 23 April, allied cargo planes and helicopters had delivered 5,915 tonnes of relief supplies as a whole—4,056 tonnes from United States, 921 tonnes from United Kingdom, 252 tonnes from France, 179 tonnes from Canada, 476 tonnes from Germany, and 31 tonnes from Italy—to sites along the Turkey-Iraq border. Daily totals for other donors are not available. Further supplies from donors have been distributed by the Turkish Red Crescent.

As of 25 April, an estimated total of 240 tonnes of aid supplies have been flown by the Overseas Development Administration to Iran. Onward delivery has been carried out by the Iranian Red Crescent. Daily totals of supplies delivered to the refugees are not available.