HC Deb 29 April 1993 vol 223 cc527-8W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific assistance has been given by(a) the Government and (b) the EC to Sudan since January 1992.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Since January 1992, we have committed over £13 million in bilateral humanitarian assistance to Sudan. In the same period, we have provided almost £0.8 million in residual payments following the termination of the bilateral development aid programme in January 1991. In addition, since April 1991, almost £0.7 million has been disbursed through the joint funding scheme to support the work of British NGOs in Sudan.

Since January 1992, the EC has committed over £61 million—United Kingdom share about £10 million—in food and other emergency assistance to Sudan. Figures are not available for EC disbursement on development projects, but no new development projects have been approved since 1990.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the adequacy of medical supplies to Sudan; and what obstacles there are to the adequacy of supplies to that country.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Our bilateral development assistance programme to Sudan was terminated in 1991. We are not therefore now involved in considering the regular provision of medical supplies to the Government of Sudan and we have made no assessment of the national availability of such supplies.

Since January 1992, we have committed about £563,000 in humanitarian assistance funds and, in 1992–93, almost £52,000 from the joint funding scheme, in support of health care activities run by British NGOs in Sudan.

Back to