Written question asked by John MacDougall (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 November 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 November 2007. It was answered by Shahid Malik (Labour) on Monday, 26 November 2007 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Iraq: Politics and Government

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Iraq.

Answer: DFID is very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Iraq and among refugees in the wider region. Many Iraqis are denied adequate protection and access to basic services. There is a lack of reliable information about the situation. However, the UN estimates that over two million people are internally displaced, with a further two million displaced across the region, 80 per cent. of whom are in Syria and Jordan. UNHCR is investigating reports of increased refugee returns from Syria, and the reasons behind such returns. We await the outcome of this work.DFID is supporting the delivery of emergency relief and protection through contributions to internationally mandated humanitarian agencies. We have recently allocated an additional £5 million to these efforts, bringing our overall humanitarian commitment for Iraq to over £130 million since 2003 and £15 million this year.

Secondary information