HC Deb 13 December 2001 vol 376 cc962-3W
Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been the daily average of food aid being transported into Afghanistan in each of the last six weeks; and what is her estimate of the rate of transport needed to ensure sufficient food stocks for the winter. [21685]

Clare Short

The table shows the daily average of food aid that has been transported into Afghanistan by week for the past six weeks. Graphs recording daily and weekly delivery of food into Afghanistan since 19 September are available in the Library.

metric tones
Week ending Daily average over the week
31 October 1,279
7 November 2,384
14 November 1,962
21 November 1,246
28 November 2,287
6 December 2,985

The World Food programme aims to deliver 100,000 tonnes of food aid in the month of December to meet on-going needs and build up necessary winter stockpiles. It is prioritising deliveries to areas where access may become more difficult over the winter.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many tonnes of humanitarian aid have been deployed in Afghanistan since 11 September; what impact the military advances in Afghanistan have had on humanitarian missions; if the military campaign has opened up supply routes into Afghanistan; what steps she is taking to ensure that the public is informed of humanitarian advances in Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement. [22355]

Clare Short

Over 115,000 metric tonnes of food aid were dispatched to Afghanistan from 11 September to 9 December (the latest date for which information is currently available from the World Food Programme (WFP), the lead UN agency for food aid).

Initial hopes of improved humanitarian access following the change in the political balance have been tempered by concerns over security. Although much of the internal delivery and distribution system is holding up, continued uncertainty over security in the north, around Mazar-e-Sharif, and the south-eastern province of Kandahar means that agencies are unable to reach many of the most vulnerable people.

Improved security is key to enhancing the ability of humanitarian agencies to deliver assistance to those in need. We, and the rest of the international community, will continue to urge the authorities in Afghanistan to assist with the relief effort, and to help stabilise the environment in which the humanitarian community are trying to operate.