HC Deb 16 December 2002 vol 396 cc552-3W
Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total volume is of unspent oil revenues in the escrow account of the UN oil-for-food programme. [87077]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

As of 11 December US$3.3 billion of 'Oil For Food' revenue remained unallocated by Iraq in the UN escrow account.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the oil revenues allocated for(a) Iraq and (b) Iraqi Kurdistan are allocated to (i) the UN Compensation Fund and (ii) UN administrative expenses. [87079]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

Revenues from the sale of Iraqi oil under the Oil For Food (OFF) programme are deposited in a UN escrow account. 59% of this revenue is allocated to the UN humanitarian programme in Baghdad-controlled Iraq, and 13% to the programme in northern Iraq. The UN Compensation Fund receives 25% to meet claims arising from Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and 3% is allocated to the UN administration of the OFF programme.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions the Government is taking to enable the unspent oil revenues allocated for Iraqi Kurdistan in the escrow account of the UN oil-for food programme to be disbursed; and when she last discussed the volume of unspent oil revenues in the UN oil-for food escrow account allocated with representatives of the Office for Iraq Programme. [87080]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

Officials continue to press the Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP) to ensure that the revenues in the UN escrow account allocated to the UN humanitarian programme in northern Iraq are used in full. They also discuss these issues regularly with Kurdish representatives.