Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she plans to increase the UK’s humanitarian contribution to Iraq.

Justine Greening

As I announced on Saturday, the UK is providing an initial £3 million of emergency humanitarian assistance to help civilians fleeing the ISIL advance in Northern Iraq. Following an assessment of needs on the ground by DFID humanitarian experts who deployed to Erbil last Thursday, this includes:

(i) – Activation of the UK’s Rapid Response Facility (RRF), which provides emergency support via pre-approved organisations in the event of a humanitarian crisis overseas. This initial package of UK support comprises clean water and sanitation, essential medicine, women-friendly hygiene kits and basic household items, which will be provided from £2 million of RRF funding to NGOs in the region.

(ii) – Protection for vulnerable girls and women through the deployment of dedicated UN safety and welfare teams in key internally displaced person and refugee camp sites and areas, secured through £1 million of funding to the UNHCR.

The UK will continue to monitor the situation closely and we are considering urgently what other assistance we could provide.