§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps coalition forces in Iraq are taking to set up a humanitarian traffic lane on the Iraqi side of the Iraqi-Jordanian border. [138619]
§ Hilary BennWe are not aware that coalition forces are planning the setting up of a humanitarian traffic lane on the Iraq side of the border with Jordan.
§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of Iraq's demand for domestically consumed fuels was met through imports in the last month. [138877]
§ Hilary BennIt is estimated that, in October 2003, between one-quarter and one-third of the national supply of gasoline, diesel and kerosene was met by imports. Imports also provided almost two-thirds of the demand for LPG. Iraq is likely to depend on imports of these fuels until the early spring.
§ Tom BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will identify the roles and responsibilities of(a) the 18 members of staff in his Department and (b) the seconded consultants working in Iraq. [138890]
§ Hilary BennThe information is as follows:
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- (a) The Iraq Directorate within DFID consists of a range of programme management and professional advisory staff who cover development subjects relevant to the needs of the reconstruction effort, e.g. social development, health, economics and infrastructure.
- (b) Most of the seconded consultants are working for the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Baghdad and Basrah in an advisory capacity in various sectors, including economics, education, refugees/returns and infrastructure and urban development. There are eight DFID-funded contractors working as project officers and facilities managers in various Governorate Team Offices throughout Iraq. There are also three DFID members of staff seconded to CPA whose job titles are Assistant to Chief of Operations, Press Officer and Senior Engineering Adviser.
§ Mr. ChallenTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what assessment his Department has made of the need for environmental improvements in Iraq; [139008]
(2) what support his Department is giving to the Minister for the Environment in Iraq. [139007]
§ Hilary BennDFID is exploring options for support to the environment, including work with the Minister for the Environment, in the context of other priorities for our future assistance to Iraq. DFID and Defra officials are planning to undertake an assessment visit to Iraq shortly. DFID has meanwhile agreed to part-finance a survey to be carried out in Iraq by the Post-Conflict Assessment Unit of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
§ Mr. ChallenTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what advisers have been appointed by Coalition members to support the work of the Minister for the Environment in Iraq. [139009]
§ Hilary BennCoalition members have provided a number of staff for the Coalition Provisional Authority with environmental expertise who work alongside the Iraqi Environment Ministry. These include the Senior Adviser to the Ministry of Health, which previously contained Iraq's Environmental Protection and Improvement Directorate, and the Senior Adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources. As part of the UK contribution to the reconstruction effort, we have agreed to fund half of UNEP's environmental field assessment, which is likely to commence in spring 2004, and will include work on institutional and capacity building focusing particularly on the Environment Ministry.
§ Richard Younger-RossTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources provided by(a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) NGOs are available in Iraq for mine clearance. [125702]
§ Hilary BennThe UK has made the following resources available for mine/UXO clearance in Iraq in the current financial year.
Organisation Purpose Amount (£) UNMAS Mine/UXO clearance 4,000,000 UNMAS Plastic explosive for disposal of mines/UXO 357,378 Mines Advisory Group (MAG) Preparedness 80,883 Mines Advisory Group (MAG) Integrated mine action 781,639