Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Williams of Crosby (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Thursday, 26 January 2006.

Iraq: Reconstruction

Question: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that Answer. First, why has less than half of the £131 million allocated for reconstruction in the Basra region in southern Iraq been spent, when the commitment runs out this year? Secondly, given that neither the electricity, water nor oil infrastructures are back to the levels they had reached shortly before the invasion of Iraq, what plans do the Government have to produce more funds for reconstruction after 2006?

Answer: My Lords, I was not aware that less than half had been allocated with respect to southern Iraq. If I may, I will take that figure away and look at it, because it does not quite match with the information that I have been given. With regard to infrastructure, the position is not quite as the noble Baroness, Lady Williams of Crosby, has set out. For example, electricity capacity is being added through reconstruction projects. Demand, of course, far outstrips supply. I know that the House will be aware that, now that the Iraqi economy has opened up, people are buying far more electrical goods, which is pushing up demand. In addition, as quickly as we are increasing capacity, the insurgents are targeting supplies and reducing that capacity, so there is an issue of security. The House will want to know that sewage and waste-water treatment plants are now operating. There was none prior to the conflict. Some 1.25 million more Iraqis have access to potable water than before the conflict, and 9.6 million more have access to a sewerage system. Healthcare spending is more than 30 times the pre-war level. It is important that we remember that the access ordinary Iraqis had to some of those services was almost nil before the conflict started.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 677 c1273-4
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Development aid Expenditure Electricity Infrastructure Iraq Oil Water Reconstruction Basra
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk