HC Deb 19 December 2002 vol 396 cc907-8W
John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efforts there have been to overcome delays to food imports in Zambia caused by the issuing of import licences. [88480]

Clare Short

DFID became aware of the delay in the issuing of import licences for food imports in Zambia in mid November. The WFP brought this up at a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Finance at the end of November and he agreed to facilitate the prompt issue of import licences if this remained a problem. My officials have encouraged WFP to pursue this issue.

Import licences are currently being issued within a week of request, which is sufficient to avoid delays to the WFP food pipeline.

John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made by the World Food Programme in completing the contract for the transportation of food aid to southern Africa. [88482]

Clare Short

The World Food Programme is doing an excellent job in trying to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people in the southern Africa region. Food Aid received in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe since July 2002 amounts to 344,830MT. WFP, with help from DFID, is actively trying to avoid any break in the food pipeline this month. WFP's key constraint in maintaining and building up the pipeline for the height of the humanitarian crisis in January and February is getting the funding it needs from donors. We are continuing to press other donors to do more, and the UK remains the second largest bilateral donor to the crisis.