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HIV/AIDS
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what action the Department is taking to (a) combat HIV/AIDS and (b) promote sexual health in Southern Africa. [113726]
Hilary Benn: HIV/AIDS represents a major development challenge in Southern Africa, and is a priority for DFID's funding in the region. Because good sexual health is essential for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, much of DFID's support for sexual health is now included in our response to HIV/AIDS. DFID has supported major programmes to combat HIV/AIDS and promote sexual health in South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In addition, DFID supports a South African Development Community (SADC) HIV/AIDS programme covering Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland. Also DFID has recently approved a programme that will work across Africa to support connections between on-going regional work, and fund some new regional initiatives such as working with Orphans and Vulnerable Children. In addition to direct support for HIV/AIDS programmes, DFID is increasingly mainstreaming efforts to combat HIV/AIDS into all development programmes.
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Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the scale of HIV/ AIDS in southern Africa. [113727]
Hilary Benn: Southern Africa is the region worst affected by HIV and AIDS. In its 2002 report, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimated that 29.4 million people in sub-saharan Africa live with HIV/AIDS, and that 8.8 per cent. of the adult (15–49 years) population is affected.
Iraq
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the use of cluster bombs in the war with Iraq on the long-term humanitarian situation in the country. [113738]
Hilary Benn: We recognise that unexploded ordnance (UXO) is a matter of grave humanitarian concern. The UK is fully committed to facilitating the clearance of unexploded ordnance as part of the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq. De-mining organisations funded by DFID, the UN Mines Advisory Service (£4 million) and the Mines Advisory Group (£81,000) are working with local organisations and the coalition military to plot the locations of all unexploded ordnance and to carry out disposals.
Cluster bombs were used in a number of locations by the coalition during the war. As with all other weapons, they were used by UK forces consistent with obligations under international law.
John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what action he is taking to provide short term housing for the Palestinian refugees displaced in Baghdad. [114282]
Hilary Benn: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has made available emergency supplies for up to 2,000 people, including 400 tents, 1,200 mattresses and 2,000 blankets as well as stoves, jerry cans and soap to help newly-displaced Palestinian refugees in Baghdad. DFID has contributed £1.75 million to UNHCR's Flash Appeal.
John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what steps are being taken to stabilise mains power supply for use by water plants in Baghdad. [114287]
Hilary Benn: Maintaining clean water supplies in Iraq has been an immediate concern. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and others, including the UK military, have worked hard to repair water stations and to supply water by alternative means in the interim. In Baghdad power and water are now reaching 80 per cent. of the urban population on an intermittent basis.
International agencies including the ICRC and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) are now supporting local municipality and electricity board work teams to improve the mains power supply in Iraq,
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including Baghdad. DFID has committed £16.5 million to ICRC for their work, which includes electricity infrastructure repair. DFID has also provided £7 million to UNDP for its emergency assistance programme in the electricity sector, focusing on central and southern Iraq.
John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the recent levels of hospital admissions for diarrhoea and the corresponding risk of water related diseases in Iraq. [114288]
Hilary Benn: It is difficult to establish an accurate picture of disease trends in Iraq, as the former Iraqi disease surveillance system is no longer functioning. The reactivation of this system is a priority for the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Recent weeks have shown a steady increase in the number of reported cases of water- related disease in many locations. This is due to a combination of normal seasonal trends including the start of the hot season, inadequate supply of safe water, and poor sanitation. The Iraqi Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF and NGOs are currently conducting assessments, and drawing up an action plan to deal with outbreaks of water-related diseases. UNICEF has prepositioned an extra 200,000 sachets of oral rehydration salts, in the region to deal with diarrhoeal disease outbreaks. DFID is donating cholera kits, sufficient to treat 11,000 people, and emergency health kits, sufficient for 10,000 people for three months, to WHO to assist their response as and when required.
John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development, how many containers for the collection and storage of water have been made available to Iraqi civilians since the end of military action; and whether these supplies have been sufficient to meet requirements. [114289]
Hilary Benn: This information is not available. However, DFID funding to UNICEF and NGOs has included provision to cover items such as water containers should they be needed, for example for refugees or internally displaced people.
John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what volume of water treatment chemicals are required per week for use by humanitarian agencies in Iraq; what impact shortages in stocks of water treatment chemicals are having on humanitarian efforts in Iraq; and what efforts the Department is taking to overcome these shortages. [114290]
Hilary Benn: DFID is not aware of any reliable consolidated estimates of the requirement for water treatment chemicals in Iraq. Water disinfection normally involves treatment using chlorine, and reduction of turbidity using Aluminium Sulphate. One metric tonne of chlorine gas is sufficient to treat water for one million people for one day. The quantity of Aluminium Sulphate required depends on the turbidity
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of the water. Some shortfalls of stocks have been identified in Iraq, which the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), UNICEF and the Coalition have taken steps to meet from outside the country. DFID has provided funding to ICRC and to UNICEF for water and sanitation activities including the distribution of water treatment chemicals.
John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the contingency plans which were put in place before the commencement of military action in Iraq, for the reconstruction of water treatment facilities in (a) Baghdad and (b) Basra. [114305]
Hilary Benn: Detailed planning for the reconstruction of water treatment facilities was not possible prior to the conflict in Iraq as it could not be known what condition the infrastructure would be in at the end of military action. DFID did however undertake a desk study review of all the reports on infrastructure in Iraq that were available at that time.
Maintaining clean water supplies in Iraq has been an immediate concern. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and others, including the UK military, have worked hard to repair water stations and supply water by alternative means In Basra the quantity of water being supplied now exceeds pre-conflict levels. In Baghdad power and water are now reaching 80 per cent. of the urban population on an intermittent basis.
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the work done by his Department in providing humanitarian assistance to Iraq since the end of the conflict. [114419]
Hilary Benn: DFID is providing funding and other support to the UN agencies, Red Cross / Red Crescent and NGOs to enable them to provide humanitarian assistance where it is needed. DFID has committed £115m to support work by humanitarian agencies in the current crisis and has set aside a further £95 million to support emerging humanitarian needs. The attached table shows the detailed allocation of the funding. Supporting such agencies as part of a co-ordinated international response is more effective than running separate national relief operations. DFID looks to the UN to coordinate this humanitarian effort. DFID has also seconded staff to the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs, the UN, and UK forces to advise on humanitarian relief activities.
Now that major combat operations are complete, international staff from UN agencies and NGO's have begun returning to Iraq. On 2 May, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Ramiro Lopes da Silva, arrived in Baghdad with senior representatives of the World Food Programme, United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organisation and UNICEF to re-establish a permanent presence. The UN's presence is now expanding rapidly, co-ordinated through five regional teams based in Baghdad, central Iraq, the north and in the upper and lower south.
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Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State for International Development what estimate has been made of the cost of additional funding for United Nations aid agencies required to meet humanitarian needs in Iraq; and what additional amount the Government will be contributing to the UN for these purposes. [114420]
Hilary Benn: On 28 March the UN launched a Flash Appeal for $2.2 billion to which the UK has so far committed £65 million. The Flash Appeal is currently being revised in line with UN humanitarian needs assessments. We will consider further support to UN agencies once the results of these assessments are available and a revised appeal has been made.
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