§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 28 February,Official Report, column 582–83, from which departmental budget the £8.1 million of assistance via the EC will be paid; and from which budget the £3 million of aid referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn), Official Report, 18 February, column 54, will be paid.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe £8.1 million assistance provided through the European Community will be attributed to the overseas aid programme.
Of the £3 million emergency assistance, £2.5 million was contributed to the International Committee of the Red Cross from class II, vote 2, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (other external relations), and £0.5 million to the United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation from the Overseas Development Agency's 1990–91 humanitarian assistance budget.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to give humanitarian assistance to Iraq and Kuwait, and from which budget this will be paid; and what plans he has to give reconstruction aid to Kuwait and from which budget this will be paid.
§ Mrs. ChalkerA multi-agency United Nations mission is currently in Iraq to assess humanitarian needs. It will make recommendations to the Secretary-General on emergency actions the United Nations might take. We will consider responding to any subsequent appeal for funding launched by the Secretary-General.
We have no plans at present to provide humanitarian assistance for Kuwait, but we do expect to assist in the process of reconstruction. Financing it will be a matter for the Government of Kuwait.