Iran (Hansard, 25 May 2004)

Mr. Gareth Thomas

DFID has committed £3.7 million, including the UK share of the European community contribution, in response to humanitarian needs following the Bam earthquake.

DFID contributed some £950,000 towards immediate support to the emergency phase of the Bam Earthquake. The details of the UK response were provided in my Statement to the House on 5 January 2004, Official Report, columns 2–4WS. Thereafter, DFID made an additional commitment of £2 million in support of rehabilitation. This was focused on the restoration of primary health care services in partnership with the World Health Organisation (£0.5 million); the implementation of a mid-term sanitation programme in partnership with the United Nations Children's agency, UNICEF (£0.5 million); the restoration of agricultural based livelihoods, focusing on the rehabilitation of wells and procurement of pumps, livestock restocking and the replacement of agricultural tools in a joint United Nations Development Programme—Food and Agricultural Organisation partnership (£0.25 million) and also through the non-governmental organisation Action Contre La Faim (£0.25 million); and further support (£0.45 million) to the International Federation of the Red Cross's appeal.

All of this support to rehabilitation has been programmed through the agencies mentioned except the £0 45 million committed to the International Federation of the Red Cross. These funds were originally intended for the restocking of relief items, continued provision of emergency medical services and capacity building of the Iranian Red Crescent Society but we have been informed that these elements of the appeal have been sufficiently covered by other contributions. With the aid of the British Red Cross Society an assessment is planned to consider how this allocation might best be utilised in meeting gaps in provision.

DFID Officials will be visiting Bam in July to monitor how effectively the UK contribution has been spent.