HL Deb 20 October 1992 vol 539 cc85-8WA
Viscount Davidson

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What part British aid has played in the provision of relief to former Yugoslavia.

The tables show the number of deaths registered with any mention of cot death, sudden infant death syndrome (or similar term) on the death certificate, irrespective of whether it did or did not appear as the underlying cause of death.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)

To date Her Majesty's Government have committed over £70 million in humanitarian aid for the former Yugoslavia, including the £15 million my right honourable friend the Prime Minister announced today. Of this £29.5 million is bilateral aid and £41 million aid attributable through the European Community.

The £29.5 million bilateral aid is being channelled through:

  • UNHCR and other UN Agencies.
  • Red Cross.
  • British charities, including CARE and Feed the Children.
  • Overseas Development Administration direct actions.
  • Direct actions taken so far by the ODA include the provision of:
  1. (i) Twenty-one British trucks, based in Split as part of UNHCR road delivery operation, running 2 to 3 convoys a week to Sarajevo. During the suspension of the airlift, these trucks were Sarajevo's lifeline.
  2. (ii) Five British logisticians seconded to the UN.
  3. (iii) A British road engineer who undertook an assessment for UNHCR of the state of convoy routes in winter.
  4. (iv) Delivery of £1,130,000 of medical supplies to WHO in Zagreb following assessment by British medical team which were then distributed throughout Bosnia, including Sarajevo and Gorazde.
  5. (v) Support to UNHCR and WHO with anaesthetics, computer equipment and specialist WA87 advice. Funding of two pharmacists and one computer expert working with WHO and one logistics expert assisting WHO with new consign-ment of medical supplies.
  6. (vi) A shelter team to identify where the ODA could best help with the winterisation of collective centres in central Bosnia. Funding for the activities identified will be provided from the £7.5 million which I announced on 24th September to allow rapid implementation of the teams recommendations.
  7. (vii) Mining and power teams for UNHCR to provide assessment of current position and detailed plans for the emergency provision and distribution of fuel for heating during winter months.

In addition to the above the ODA is now providing:

  1. (i) A further 22 trucks plus all support staff and vehicles; the first convoy of which is due to leave the UK on 26th October,
  2. (ii) All equipment and staff to run one relief warehouse,
  3. (iii) A further £1 million of medical supplies for W110; the initial consignment of which will travel with the first truck convoy,
    4. WA88
  4. (iv) Ten Landrovers for UNHCR,
  5. (v) Ten extra staff (logisticians/radio operators) for UNHCR.