Iraq (Hansard, 1 April 2003)

§ Mrs. Spelman
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the aid agencies she supports which work in Iraq. [105113]
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§ Clare Short
During the current crisis DFID has committed £32 million to Red Cross/Red Crescent movements; £8 million to WFP; £5 million to NGOs (£1.1 million of which has been specifically agreed with individual NGOs to date—Merlin, the International Medical Corps, Save the Children UK and HelpAGE);£2 million to UNICEF; £1.75 million to UNHCR; £1 million to WHO; £150,000 to OCHA; £100,000 to UNSECOORD. In addition I have announced a £65 million commitment to the UN flash appeal which will be allocated to individual UN agencies in due course.
In the past DFID has provided support to the following NGOs.
Northern Iraq: Save the Children UK; HelpAge International; Christian Aid; Response Relief Resettlement & Rehabilitation (4Rs); A Community Oriented Rehabilitation Network (ACORN).
Baghdad controlled Iraq: International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF, CARE International UK.

§ Vera Baird
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government is taking to separate military and humanitarian objectives and actions in Iraq. [105437]

§ Clare Short
The coalition military are responsible for the provision of humanitarian assistance as set down in the Hague Regulations and Geneva Conventions governing Armed Conflict. The Treasury has allocated £30 million to the Ministry of Defence for this purpose. DFID is advising the MOD on its humanitarian work.
Separately DFID is providing humanitarian assistance in Iraq on the basis of greatest need. DFID has earmarked £210 million for this, the bulk of which will be allocated through the UN, Red Cross and international NGOs.

§ Llew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact on her annual humanitarian aid budget for 2003-04 of re-allocating to Iraq resources earmarked for global assistance to Iraq. [105586]

§ Clare Short
Existing DFID budget plans have not been diverted to fund our assistance to Iraq. The purpose of the DFID Contingency reserve is to deal with unforeseen emergencies.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to address the humanitarian impact of military action in Iraq on neighbouring countries, with particular reference to(a) Jordan and (b) Iran. [106476]

§ Clare Short
My Department has committed £115 million to support the UN agencies, Red Cross/Red Crescent and NGOs to enable them to provide humanitarian assistance where it is needed. All these groups are active in Jordan and Iran.
In addition DFID has humanitarian advisers in Jordan and Iran who are undertaking regular situation assessments on the ground.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report no substantial refugee flows, as yet, into the countries surrounding Iraq.
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Latest information is available in daily updates on the situation in Iraq and surrounding countries, which can be obtained from the House of Commons Library.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by her Department to support aid agencies in establishing first aid centres for Iraqi civilians caught up in any conflict. [106478]

§ Clare Short
DFID has committed £115 million to support work by humanitarian agencies in the current crisis and has £95 million set aside for further contributions. A number of these agencies such as the Red Cross/Red Crescent, WHO, UNICEF, Merlin, International Medical Corps and Save the Children UK operate in the health sector. Their activities include the provision of mobile health units, first aid posts, hospital rehabilitation, trauma care and health facilities in refugee and Internally Displaced People camps.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received concerning a time scale for the handover of military-led humanitarian operations in Iraq to UN agencies and NGOs. [106479]

§ Clare Short
The UK is committed to humanitarian assistance being provided by civilian agencies wherever possible, on the basis of need, and not as part of a military strategy. However, humanitarian agencies cannot operate until a permissive security environment has been established. The Office of the UN Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD) provides security advice to the UN humanitarian agencies and will determine when UN agencies can enter southern Iraq. NGOs will need to undertake their own security assessments before engaging.
Some NGOs and UN agencies remain active in Northern and Baghdad controlled Iraq.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what representations she has received concerning the time scale for a UN resolution on a mandate for the reconstruction of Iraq; and if she will make a statement; [106480]
(2) with whom she has discussed the possibility of a UN authority in Iraq before the establishment of a transitional Iraqi Government. [106477]

§ Clare Short
The Government is working to secure a UN mandate to provide legal authority for the reconstruction effort in Iraq. This will make possible the engagement of the International Financial Institutions and the wider international community. We are holding ongoing discussions with key partners, including Security Council members, on this issue. It is important that the UN mandate should be established as soon as possible.

§ Vernon Coaker
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's contingency reserve for 2003–04 has been earmarked for Iraq. [106482]

§ Clare Short
I have earmarked £75 million from my Department's contingency reserve for Iraq. This is 75 per cent. of my 2003–04 contingency reserve.
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§ Vernon Coaker
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funds in the existing UN escrow accounts to meet the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people over the next three months. [106483]

§ Clare Short
The Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorising the UN Secretary General to manage the Oil-for-Food (OFF) programme. This is very important for the 16 million Iraqis who rely on the OFF for survival.
The UN believes that some humanitarian needs might be met from existing OFF escrow accounts. The UN will keep the international community abreast of any adjustments to the flash appeal that they issued on 28 March 2003 to cover humanitarian needs over the next six months.

§ Mr. Cash
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) of 26 March 2003,Official Report, column 277, what the legal basis is for her statements (a) that UK armed forces are in Iraq as an occupying power, with humanitarian responsibilities and duties to keep order and the civil administration running; and (b) that they do not have the authority to reorganise institutions or establish a new Government. [106584]

§ Clare Short
These statements are based on legal advice on the applicability of the 1907 Hague Regulations and the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Article 55 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that: "To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate". Section III of the Hague Regulations sets out the limits of military authority over the territory of an occupied state; parts of the Geneva Conventions are also relevant.