HC Deb 11 November 1998 vol 319 cc205-6W
15. Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the situation in Bangladesh following the recent floods. [57816]

Clare Short

Monsoon flooding in Bangladesh this year was the most prolonged this century, lasting more than 10 weeks in some areas. Waters began to recede from central districts in mid-September, and broadly returned to normal by the end of the month, though waterlogging persists in some areas. The Government of Bangladesh, in partnership with the World Band and the Asian Development Bank in particular, have moved rapidly to begin repair of roads, bridges, railways and flood protection embankments. Major communications are fully restored, though very considerable work remains to be done on many rural roads and other infrastructure.

Although many people are short of food, often for want of immediate employment, and there have been outbreaks of diarrhoea' disease, there is at present no famine or unusual epidemic of diseases as suggested by some media reports. However there has been an almost complete loss of seasonal crops in some areas, and many people have lost homes, assets and livelihoods. Millions of people require assistance to restart rural livelihoods, rebuild their homes, and earn a living. The Government of Bangladesh are distributing food to vulnerable people, and the gap in food supply is being managed through increased public and private sector imports. They are managing the food supply jointly with the World Food Programme, and providing small cash grants. The UK has contributed £11 million to ensuring food availability over the coming months. NGOs are also helping with small grants and loans to restore homes and livelihoods.

Much of the restoration of infrastructure will be done through cash of food for work schemes to give people an income. DFID is contributing a further £10 million in projects to rehabilitate agriculture, essential infrastructure, and to support NGO projects which help the poor rebuild their lives. In parallel with urgent work which has already started, donors, including the UK, are working in sector sub groups jointly with Government and some NGO partners, to establish the full extent of priority rehabilitation needs. The situation is expected to appear to return to normal in around five months, but continuing attention to the longer term, unseen impacts on the economy, financial institutions and peoples' assets will be needed for some time to come.

20. Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what help she is giving the Government of Bangladesh to remove arsenic from subterranean water supplies. [57821]

Clare Short

The Department for International Development (DFID) has been assisting efforts to understand the causes of arsenic in ground water in Bangladesh and developing plans to address the problem. Arsenic occurs naturally as a result of geochemical processes. It can be tackled only by avoiding contaminated sources or treating water at the surface. The World Bank is co-ordinating assistance, and has allocated $30 million to helping counteract arsenic contamination. DFID has provided £0.5 million to fund the technical research needed to implement this, working through the British Geological Survey with the Department of Public Health in Dhaka. We are also appraising a larger project which would pilot community schemes for the treatment of polluted water and the medical care of those affected by arsenicosis. The project would also study why the problem affects some individuals and not others. It is hoped that the pilot, if effective, may form a model for replication by others.