§ David WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if, in liberated parts of Afghanistan, she will take steps to arrange for children932W who are seriously injured as a result of the fighting to receive medical treatment where this has not so far been available. [15618]
§ Clare ShortMy Department is currently supporting a number of agencies including Save the Children, UNICEF and the Red Cross Movement, which provide health services for children throughout Afghanistan. I have recently announced further financial contributions to both UNICEF and the Red Cross, which will also include support for health services that benefit children.
We anticipate that the advances made by the Northern Alliance in recent days will improve access and enable more effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.
§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she will publish a detailed humanitarian aid strategy document for Afghanistan. [13988]
§ Clare ShortWe have no plans to publish a humanitarian aid strategy document for Afghanistan. Thrice weekly updates on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan are published by my Department and held in the Library of the House. A further paper, "Afghanistan Recovery: An Emergency Plan for the First 100 Days", is also available in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. John TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the Government's commitment to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan; and how services by road will be sustained. [13865]
§ Clare ShortThe UK Government have fully committed to doing all they can to help relieve the suffering of the people of Afghanistan. My Department has set aside £40 million to respond to the current crisis affecting Afghans. In line with the objectives of the international community, our top priorities are to: help meet immediate life saving needs within Afghanistan; support refugee needs in neighbouring countries; help host populations in neighbouring countries through programmes which benefit them; and strengthen international humanitarian agency capacity and co-ordination. Funds are being channelled through UN agencies, the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
UN agencies, particularly the World Food Programme (WFO), continue to make good and steady progress in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Afghanistan. New land convoy routes into Afghanistan are opening up, and the volume of relief supplies entering the country has increased over recent weeks as a result. With our support, WFP and the Russian Ministry for Emergencies (EMERCOM) have begun a joint operation to transport 9,000 metric tonnes of food from Tajikistan to northern Afghanistan.
Some mountainous areas of Afghanistan may become cut off by snow during the winter months. WFP are in the process of procuring snowploughs and other equipment to support their trucking operations in these regions. They have already begun snow clearance in the Anjuman Pass—the main north-east route into the Panjsheer Valley. As a last resort, WFP are also looking at the possibility of airdropping food to vulnerable people living in snowbound areas of Afghanistan.
933WThe changing situation on the ground opens up new opportunities for us to improve humanitarian programmes and give better access to some of the most vulnerable people. Plans are now being made for the international staff of humanitarian agencies to return to parts of Afghanistan as soon as possible. Those agencies should now be able to accelerate deliveries so that winter stockpiles can be built closer to people who need them. However, such progress is dependant on improved security.