§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the scale of the movement of refugees from North Korea to China since 1995. [157545]
§ Hilary BennThere is no accurate figure of the number of North Koreans in China because they tend to remain hidden for fear of discovery and repatriation to North Korea. Estimates vary greatly. The Ministry of Reunification in South Korea estimates that there are 10,000 long-term migrants in China. Some NGO groups estimate there are 300,000 North Koreans in China, based on surveys of villages in the border region.
The Chinese Government says that, by United Nations definitions, North Koreans who enter China illegally are economic migrants, not refugees. The UK regularly raises the question of North Korean border crossers at our biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on his policy on development aid to North Korea. [157553]
§ Hilary BennThe Department for International Development (DFID) does not give development assistance to North Korea; nor do we have any plans to start a bilateral programme there. DFID policy is to focus its human and financial resources on a manageable number of key country programmes where the UK has comparative advantage and expertise.
Since 1997, DFID has provided £3,298,000 in humanitarian assistance to North Korea. Most recently, DFID approved a grant of £1,023,000 to support UNICEF's work in 2004, in primary health care (including provision of essential medical supplies such as vaccinations) and improvements to the water and sanitation systems. In 2002–03 DFID provided £200,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross for its flood prevention work, and in 2001–02 the Federation also received £75,000 for emergency assistance to flood victims and £800,000 to support the 936W health care system through the distribution of drugs and basic medical equipment. In the same year, DFID channelled £1,200,000 through the United Nations Children Fund to support its primary health care programme.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of energy supplies in North Korea; and what steps his Department is taking to improve them. [157554]
§ Hilary BennInsufficient energy supplies impact on the humanitarian crisis in North Korea. Power shortages prevent effective operation of water pumping stations, thereby reducing the overall supply of water. The diminishing supplies of fuel wood compounds this problem as families are unable to boil water before use, which in turn increases the prevalence of water borne diseases and diarrhoea and malnutrition worde. Fuel wood is also used for heating and cooking.
Nevertheless, energy is only one factor in the overall humanitarian crisis in North Korea, and the Department for International Development seeks to target its assistance in a way that will have the greatest impact. DFID is currently supporting the strengthening of water and sanitation, health care and disaster mitigation. This approach is in accordance with our assessment of the situation and follows discussions with the United Nations Resident Representative for North Korea.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much emergency(a) medical and (b) food aid was provided by the United Kingdom to North Korea in each of the last 10 years. [157555]
§ Hilary BennThe financial figures available go back as far as 1996 when the United Kingdom gave £23,907 to Save the Children and the World Food Programme (WFP) for a nutrition assessment, £100,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for the procurement and distribution of food for those still dependent on food aid following the 1995 flood, and another £100,000 for supplementary food for flood victims. The WFP also received £100,000 for supplementary food and project management costs for flood victims.
In 1997 we provided £80,000 to the IFRC for relief to provinces affected by floods following a tidal wave, and a further £495,000 for supplementary food needs for 139,000 beneficiaries.
In 1999 the Department for International Development (DFID) provided £131,459 to a pilot project run by CONCERN to increase food security and channelled £200,000 through World Vision to improve food security and promote sound agricultural practices, £120,000 through Save the Children to improve nutrition and early childhood development at national and village level, £158,437 through Oxfam to treat the public water supply in order to reduce the prevalence of water-born diseases and £625,000 to the United Nations Development Programme for its Geographic Information System and policy reform work including a micro-credit system.
In 2000, DFID provided £50,000 to the IFRC for emergency assistance to storm victims.
937WIn 2001–02 DFID provided £1,200,000 to support UNICEF's primary health care programme, as well as £75,000 to the IFRC for emergency assistance to flood victims and £800,000 for its programme to support the health care system through the distribution of drugs and basic medical equipment.
In 2002–03 The Department provided £200,000 to the IFRC for its flood prevention work and recently approved a grant of £1,023,000 to support UNICEF's work, in 2004, in primary health care, including improvements to the water and sanitation systems as well as essential medical supplies such as vaccinations.
It should be noted that the European Commission provided approximately £37.5 million in humanitarian assistance to North Korea since 1995, of which the UK has contribution is around £6.4 million.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of food supplies in North Korea; and what steps his Department is taking to improve them. [157557]
§ Hilary BennOwing to the environment of secrecy restrictions on agencies operating there, it is difficult to be certain of figures regarding the situation in North Korea. A joint study between the Government and the United Nations Children's Fund showed that 42 per cent. suffer from chronic, or stunting malnutrition and 9 per cent. of the population suffer acute malnutrition (compared with 16 per cent. of children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that the North Korean food output falls short of need by 944 thousand tonnes.
While significant improvements in nutrition rates have been observed through food aid and improved harvests, the international response has been marked by breaks in supply that leave aid beneficiaries vulnerable. Following a recent delay, food distribution has restarted and all but 600,000 core beneficiaries will receive cereal rations up until June.
It is important to tackle the problem of malnutrition through a balanced approach to its causes. Both DFID and the European Commission Humanitarian Office, are concerned that food aid currently accounts for 90 to 95 per cent. of requested assistance, while poor water and sanitation increases the prevalence of water-born diseases and diarrhoea, which in turn worsens malnutrition. A significant proportion of the population of 22 million have poor quality water and sanitation and only 52 per cent. have access to safe drinking water.
DFID has recently agreed to provide £1.023 million in support of UNICEF's work in water, sanitation and primary health care (e.g. vaccinations and other essential medical supplies).
The European Commission is funding targeted food aid through the WFP and other organisations. In January it agreed to give 5 million Euros. The UK contributed £3,338,000 to this.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the938W Government of North Korea about its plans to install (a) broadband, (b) internet technology and (c) mobile phone networks. [157550]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien:None.