HC Deb 24 October 2001 vol 373 cc304-5W
Mr. Simon Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to ensure that more routes for humanitarian aid convoys into Afghanistan are opened up as soon as possible. [8776]

Clare Short

My Department is actively supporting the endeavours of the UN agencies—including the UN World Food Programme, the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations to deliver as much food as possible through existing land convoy routes into Afghanistan.

We are also encouraging the opening of new land convoy routes by backing the representations of international humanitarian agencies to the Governments of neighbouring countries, requesting that they open their borders to allow the transportation of vital relief supplies into Afghanistan. The funds that we are channelling through international aid agencies working in the region are being used to stockpile relief goods in neighbouring countries for assistance to Afghan refugees and for onward transportation into Afghanistan as conditions allow.

Mr. Simon Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been allocated since 11 September for humanitarian relief in Afghanistan; and how it has been distributed. [8781]

Clare Short

We have set aside £40 million to respond to the current crisis affecting Afghanistan and neighbouring countries. About £22 million has already been allocated to agencies for their work in the region: approximately £14 million to UN agencies; £3 million to the Red Cross movement; and around £5 million to non-governmental organisations.

Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what assessment she has made of the impact of the bombing campaign on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan; [9074]

(2) what assessment she has made of the desirability of a temporary cessation in military action in Afghanistan to enable humanitarian aid to be provided. [9075]

Clare Short

A temporary cessation in military action would not remove our difficulties in getting supplies into Afghanistan which have been difficult for a long time and were halted after September 11 before the military campaign began.

The UN has recently increased its delivery of food although this is still short of what is required to lay down sufficient stocks for the winter. The World Food Programme has reported delivery of 6,644 tonnes of food to Afghanistan in the first half of this month. We continue to work with WFP to increase the rate of delivery.

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