Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is being done to (a) ensure the safety ofpre-positioned stocks of humanitarian aid for Iraqi people and (b) open access to them. [105021]Clare Short: DFID has been in close discussion with the Ministry of Defence over many months working to minimise the humanitarianimpact of any conflict; both to limit the risks to the Iraqi population and the infrastructure on which they depend, and to ensurethat UK forces meet their obligations under the Hague and Geneva conventions governing armed conflict.DFID has provided funding to humanitarian agencies to enable them to pre-position stocks for the Iraqi people. Agencies use theirstandard operating procedures to monitor these stocks. The armed forces provide security advice on access issues. Distribution ofhumanitarian supplies is based on assessments of need and giving priority to the most urgent cases of distress, rather than openaccess to all.