HC Deb 05 March 1998 vol 307 cc702-3W
Sir Alastair Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-governmental organisations her Department is currently funding in Iraq; what activities they are conducting; and if she will make a statement. [32289]

Clare Short

The Government are deeply concerned about the suffering of the people of Iraq. The UK co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolutions 986 in 1995 and 1153 on 20 February 1998 (oil-for-food scheme). The benefits to the people of Iraq have been less than intended as a result of Iraqi Government action. We are currently reviewing what we can do to help ease the suffering of the Iraqi people.

Our current bilateral programme of humanitarian aid to Iraq through NGOs consists of: Northern Iraq

  • A grant of £1.6 million to Save the Children Fund to help Children and Marginalised groups.
  • £145,000 to ACORN to assist children through physiotherapy with physical disabilities.
  • £660,000 to Mines Advisory Group for mine detection and clearance.
  • £200,000 to Kurdistan Children's Fund to resettle displaced families.
  • £25,000 to Kurdish Life Aid to improve water and sanitation facilities in Atrush Camp.
Baghdad-controlled Iraq We have recently completed the following Water system rehabilitation and hospital funding projects:
  • £525,000 to CARE to rehabilitate the Water Treatment Plant at Najaf Kufa.
  • £40,000 to Medical Aid for Iraqi Children for provision of medical supplies to Children's hospitals.
  • £325,000 to CARE for the supply of food to Maternity Hospitals.
  • £1 million to CARE for the supply of food to Hospitals.
  • £120,000 to CARE for Water and Sanitation Monitoring. We have recently agreed a new phase costing £35,000.

Sir Alastair Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what security advice has been given by the Government to British citizens working for non-governmental organisations funded by her Department working in Iraq. [32288]

Clare Short

Department for International Development officials discuss security in their regular contacts with NGOs and in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office maintain up-to-date lists of British citizens and their contact numbers. They make a particular point of discussing security of NGO expatriate and local staff when visiting them in Iraq.