Written question asked by Pauline Latham (Conservative) on Monday, 5 December 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 7 December 2011. It was answered by Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) on Monday, 12 December 2011 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Kenya: Asylum

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government are taking to support the Government of Kenya in ensuring that additional camp sites within Kenya are approved and equipped; and what steps the Government are taking to provide assistance to host communities around Dadaab camps.

Answer: I and other Ministers have regularly pressed the Kenyan Government to make sufficient camp space available for refugees in Kenya, including during my visit to Dadaab in July. The Kenyan Government have since opened news camps in Ifo and Kambioos. In July, I agreed a £6 million package to provide support to more than 130,000 refugees, including nutrition, health care, water, sanitation, tents and cooking equipment for refugees in existing and new camps. UK support focuses on refugees in the camps, where needs are greater than in the surrounding host communities. The UN and other donors are providing support to the host communities.

Secondary information