Written question asked by Lord Judd (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Vadera (Labour) on Monday, 1 October 2007.

Iraq: Refugees

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:What discussions they have had with the government of Syria and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about the health, educational and other needs of the estimated 57,000 Iraqi refugees in Syria; and what consequential action they are taking.

Answer: DfID has not had any discussions with the Government of Syria. We continue to work closely with UNHCR to ensure that agencies are adequately resourced and equipped to respond to needs such as food, water, shelter and medical assistance. UNHCR and UNICEF are discussing with the Government of Syria how best to facilitate access to health services and education for displaced Iraqis. In January, the UNHCR launched a $60 million appeal to address the influx of refugees into Iraq’s neighbouring countries and the plight of displaced people inside Iraq. To date, we have contributed £1.5 million to the UN High Commission for Refugees’ (UNHCR) appeal to help refugees in neighbouring countries. This was part of a £10 million package that we have provided so far this year to help vulnerable people inside Iraq and those displaced to other countries in the region. This contribution will help facilitate the registration of externally displaced Iraqis and provision of emergency assistance across the region. The appeal has now been doubled ($123 million) in view of continual needs.

Secondary information