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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Horn of Africa (Drought)

The Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn): Last week I visited the Horn of Africa. In Kenya I saw at first hand the devastating effects that drought is having on people's lives in the arid north of the country. In Ethiopia I saw the benefits being gained from work we are supporting through a "productive safety nets programme" to protect poor people from drought and food shortages.

Precise data on the severity of the current crisis in the region are difficult to obtain, but our analysis suggests that this could be the worst drought in the Horn of Africa for at least a decade. The UN estimates that as many as 5.4 million people are severely affected. Of these, 1.7 million are in southern Ethiopia, 1.4 million in southern Somalia, and 2.3 million in northern Kenya. Malnutrition rates are exceptionally high in these areas, affecting between one in three and one in five children. As many as half a million children are in need of emergency help.

A swift response from Governments and international community is required to get this situation under control. So far, in the current financial year, we have committed more than £12 million to tackle this crisis, and stand ready to do more. Of this, in Kenya, DFID has already committed £5.3 million (making a total of £9.7 million since mid-2004) to humanitarian relief and I pledged a further £3 million during my visit.
 
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This will help provide much needed food, health and nutrition support, and will also enable urgent action to be taken to provide water supplies to the worst affected places.

One of DFID's humanitarian advisers has just returned from an assessment visit to southern Somalia. I will now be looking at options for significantly increasing our current contribution of £1.5 million to ensure that a disaster is avoided. The UN issued an appeal for Somalia last month, and we were one of the first to respond.

In Ethiopia we are major investors in the productive safety nets programme and have made additional contributions to provide help in drought affected areas. The Government of Ethiopia have just issued their annual humanitarian appeal and we will be considering further funding. Ethiopia has sufficient food stocks to meet anticipated needs for the next few months. The most important thing now is to ensure that relief is taken swiftly to the worst affected areas in the south. We will continue to monitor the situation and will be providing further funding.

As well as dealing with the current crisis, it is clear that much more can be done over the long term to reduce the vulnerability of people living in these areas so that when
 
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there are droughts and other types of shocks, they are better able to cope. It is also critically important that we press ahead quickly with the reforms of the international humanitarian system to ensure a swift and effective response when crises like this occur.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Criminal Justice System

The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. David Hanson): The Government have received a thematic review report from the chief inspector of criminal justice in Northern Ireland, Mr. Kit Chivers. The report, "Target Setting and Performance Management in the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland", has today been published.

The Government warmly welcome this report, and thank the chief inspector and his team for the evident care and reflection that has gone into producing this work. The Criminal Justice Board are actively considering the review and have already taken some actions in line with the recommendations.

Copies of the chief inspector's report have been placed in the Library.

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