§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the delivery of humanitarian aid in Iraq. [179178]
§ Hilary BennIn spite of difficulties resulting from the security situation in Iraq, there is no humanitarian crisis in the country and significant progress has been made since April 2003 in restoring essential services, maintaining the Public Distribution System for food rations, reopening hospitals and schools, and beginning the process of longer term reconstruction. Where localised emergency humanitarian assistance has been required, for example to support people temporarily displaced by fighting in Fallujah in April this year, it has been provided by Iraqi Ministries, United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, NGOs and Iraqi citizens. Preparations have also been made for the provision of humanitarian assistance, if required, in other parts of Iraq. An Emergency Coordination Group has been established to ensure the effective coordination of emergency assistance in Iraq. Its membership includes UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and NGOs.
US$32 billion in grants and soft loans was pledged for the reconstruction of Iraq at the Madrid Donors' Conference in October, including over US$18 billion from the USA. DFID has committed £287 million towards humanitarian and reconstruction work in Iraq since the beginning of 2003.