HC Deb 28 February 1991 vol 186 cc581-2W
Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) of 18 February,Official Report, column 54, from which vote head the £3 million of aid and earlier £11 million pledge to the United Nations disaster relief co-ordinator and the International Committee of the Red Cross will be paid, and in which financial year; what contribution Her Majesty's Government have made to UNICEF and the World Health Organisation for medical supplies for Baghdad; and whether the report of the UNICEF mission currently in Baghdad will be classified as an independent assessment on which the sanctions committee can make a decision regarding food supplies.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The United Kingdom made prompt pledges of financial support following appeals from the international aid agencies in the context of the Gulf crisis. All these pledges have been paid.

Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990, the United Kingdom gave some £11 million in humanitarian assistance for refugees and displaced persons from Iraq and Kuwait. A total of £2.72 million in bilateral assistance was paid from class II, vote 5, Foreign and Commonwealth Office-Overseas Development Administration: overseas aid. A total of £8.1 million in assistance was paid through the European Community.

Mr. Cryer

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks),Official Report, 31 January, column 606, on ministerial visits to Iraq since 1979, if he will set out the date and purpose of each visit.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

My noble Friend the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Carrington, visited Iraq on 3 to 4 July 1979. As Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited Iraq on 16 to 18 July 1980, 16 to 17 July 1981 and 27 March 1983. My right hon. Friend the Member for Shoreham (Sir R. Luce), the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, visited Iraq on 20 to 22 November 1984. My right hon. and learned Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, visited Iraq on 23 to 25 February 1988. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, visited Iraq on 12 February 1989.

These ministerial visits were undertaken as part of the normal conduct of Anglo-Iraqi bilateral relations.