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Departmental Events

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years, giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each. [200865]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Sponsorship or co-sponsorship of events is an important element in DFID's administration of the UK Government's overseas development programme. They help to publicise work that is being done, ensure a healthy level of informed debate on development and related issues and make valuable inputs to development of future policy, strategies and delivery mechanisms. DFID organises a number of varied kinds of event during an average year both in the UK and in other countries in the developed and developing worlds. However, DFID has no central source which could provide the information required by this question and the cost of obtaining it would be disproportionate to the end result.
 
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Food Aid

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have been the top 20 recipients of (a) UK and (b) EU food aid in the last year; what tonnages of food each country received, broken down by food type; and what proportion of each food type was locally produced in each country. [203013]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: In 2003–04, the UK provided £285.110 million as humanitarian assistance; this included £42.452 million as cash contributions to appeals for emergency food aid. The UK's international food aid is channelled through the World Food Programme (WHO) and NGOs.

Where emergency responses involve the supply of food commodities, the top recipient countries of UK financed food aid are shown in the following table. The table lists the main food types supplied and also indicates the amount provided, the percentage purchased in the recipient country (locally), in neighbouring countries (regional) or direct from the donor country (direct supply).
UK Food Aid: 2003–04

Recipient county	Metric tonnes	Percentage L(10)	Percentage R(11)	Percentage D(12)	Food type
Ethiopia	113,395	9	91	—	beans, corn soya blend, maize, vegetable oil, wheat
Zimbabwe	42,733	16	84	—	beans, corn soya blend, maize, maize meal, peas, pulses, vegetable oil
Iraq	44,970	—	88	—	rice, sugar, beans, dried whole milk, lentils, peas, vegetable oil, wheat flour, maize, peas
Angola	5,753	2	98	—	maize, split peas
Uganda	57,477	100	—	—	beans, corn soya blend, maize
Eritrea	5,584	—	100	—	wheat, split peas
Afghanistan	5,370	—	97	2	peas, sugar, wheat
Sudan	4,468	11	89	—	corn soya blend, sorghum, vegetable oil, split peas,
Zambia	4,250	100	—	—	beans, corn soya blend
Mauritania	4,199	100	—	—	sugar, vegetable oil, wheat soya blend, split peas, wheat
Nepal	2,553	100	—	—	rice
Russian Federation	2,541	89	11	—	salt, vegetable oil, wheat flour
Malawi	2,526	16	84	—	maize, peas
Albania	2,258	—	100	—	wheat flour
Kenya	1,429	100	—	—	maize
Iran	990	—	11	89	rice, sugar
Mali	900	—	—	—	maize
Swaziland	587	—	—	—	beans
Bangladesh	175	50	50	—	salt, sugar, split peas, vegetable oil, wheat soya blend
Rwanda	145	—	—	100	beans, corn soya blend

⁽¹⁰⁾ Local supply
⁽¹¹⁾ Regional supply
⁽¹²⁾ Direct transfer

The European Community's (EC) budget for food security and food aid in 2003 was €425.637 million (£297.641 million) and in 2004 is €419.637 (£293.452 million).

The UK's share of the EC food security and food aid budget is 19 per cent.

Where food commodities were supplied by the EC in 2003–04 as food aid, the top recipient countries are shown in the following table. The table also indicates the amount provided, the percentage purchased in the recipient country (locally), in neighbouring countries (regional) or direct from the donor country (direct supply). The table also lists the main food types supplied.
 
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European Union Food Aid: 2003–04

Recipient country	Metric tonnes	Percentage L(13)	Percentage R(14)	Percentage D(15)	Food type
Ethiopia	341,030	—	93	—	wheat, corn soya blend, cereals and grains, sorghum, faffa, maize
Zimbabwe	104,969	24	76	—	maize, corn soya blend, pulses, vegetable oil, soya oil
Sudan	4,468	11	89	—	corn soya blend, sorghum, vegetable oil, split peas,
Zambia	4,250	100	—	—	beans, corn soya blend
Mauritania	4,199	100	—	—	sugar, vegetable oil, wheat soya blend, split peas, wheat
Nepal	2,553	100	—	—	rice
Russian Federation	2,541	89	11	—	salt, vegetable oil, wheat flour
Malawi	2,526	16	84	—	maize, peas
Albania	2,258	—	100	—	wheat flour
Kenya	1,429	100	—	—	maize
Iran	990	—	11	89	rice, sugar
Mali	900	—	—	—	maize
Swaziland	587	—	—	—	beans
Bangladesh	175	50	50	—	salt, sugar, split peas, vegetable oil, wheat soya blend
Rwanda	145	—	—	100	beans, corn soya blend

⁽¹³⁾ Local supply
⁽¹⁴⁾ Regional supply
⁽¹⁵⁾ Direct transfer

Human Rights Act

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. [200872]

Hilary Benn: On the whole, the Human Rights Act has not given rise to a great deal of specific litigation; Human Rights points are most often taken in support of other causes of action. This makes them very difficult to count separately.

The subjects of the convention rights themselves are, to a very great extent, already actionable in existing domestic law.

For these reasons it would not be possible to apportion costs and compensation payments as requested without reviewing all the cases handled by Departments since October 2000, which would give rise to a disproportionate cost.

Iraq

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the (a) present living conditions of the civilian population in Fallujah and (b) the availability within Fallujah of water and heating facilities. [203610]

Hilary Benn: DFID advisers working with the Interim Iraqi Government (IIG) estimate that most of the population of Fallujah left the city before the recent outbreak of fighting, and that only about 1,500 people remain there.

Electricity and water infrastructure was damaged during the course of military action. However, Iraqi and Multi-National Forces supplied water to civilians as they moved into the city. The IIG and US forces had also stockpiled supplies of water, food and medicine prior to the military operation. The IIG, the Multi-National Force (MNF), and the Red Cross and Iraqi
 
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Red Crescent continue to deliver water, food, medical supplies, and shelter to the civilians remaining in Fallujah.

The IIG is in control of the humanitarian and reconstruction work in Fallujah. Significant funds from the Iraqi budget have been set aside so that the city's buildings and services can be rehabilitated. The IIG has established a cross-ministry Fallujah team to coordinate aid and reconstruction for the people of Fallujah. DFID is providing technical advice to the IIG Fallujah team. United States forces and development agencies are also planning to carry out rapid repairs to damaged infrastructure in Fallujah, to ensure that the population has access to basic services as soon as possible.

The majority of Fallujah's population is staying with host families and in public buildings in the surrounding area, and in Baghdad. The Iraqi Ministry of Health is delivering essential supplies to the displaced population, and is providing shelter and blankets to those not under hard cover. The IIG is planning, with the military forces operating in the area; for the return of Fallujah's population to the city as soon as it is safe and essential services are in place.

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