§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation he has received on the impact of sanctions on the access of Iraqi citizens to clean water; and if he will make a statement. [16274]
§ Mr. BradshawWe regularly receive parliamentary and public correspondence on all aspects of sanctions on Iraq, including the water and sanitation sector.
Since 1990, the UK has donated over £100 million od humanitarian aid to Iraq (including £5.5 million this year) for projects which include the rehabilitation of water and 183W sanitation infrastructure. In addition, earlier this year the EU agreed a 13 million euro aid package for projects which include the provision of clean drinking water.
By contrast, the Iraqi regime continues to hamper all aspects of the oil for food programme. At a time when around $2 billion lies unspent by Iraq in the UN escrow account, Iraq has, for example, cut spending in this sector by 18 per cent. in 2001 compared to last year. Iraq continues to refuse to allow UN officials to enter Iraq to dicuss a cash component for sectors identified by the UN Secretary-General as being critical, one of which is water and sanitation.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the performance of the oil for food policy regarding Iraq and the attitude of the Iraqi Government towards this policy. [16230]
§ Mr. BradshawThe oil for food programme is the UN's largest humanitarian programme ever, worth some $12.5 billion last year alone. In his most recent report (September 2001), the UN Secretary-General concludes that the oil for food programme has made a considerable difference to the lives of ordinary Iraqis and, in spreading beyond the food and medicine sectors, to the rehabilitation of Iraq's civilian infrastructure.
These achievements have been made despite the continuing efforts of the Iraqi regime to hamper the oil for food programme. For example, around $2 billion of funds lie unspent, by Iraq in UN accounts and the Iraqi Central Bank consistently holds up the delivery of around $1 billion-worth of goods. Iraq continues to refuse to allow UN Officials to enter Iraq to discuss a cash component for sectors identified by the UN Secretary-General as being critical, such as health, education and water sanitation.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussion he has had with the Iraqi Government on no-fly zones. [16231]
§ Mr. BradshawNone.