Written question asked by Caroline Spelman (Conservative) on Tuesday, 10 December 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 19 December 2002. It was answered by Mike O'Brien (Labour) on Thursday, 19 December 2002 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the volume is of unspent oil revenues allocated for Iraqi Kurdistan in the escrow account of the UN oil-for-food programmes; and what the reasons are for withholding aid to Iraqi Kurdistan. - Includes figures. (Holding answer 16 December 2002).

Answer: Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the volume is of unspent oil revenues allocated for Iraqi Kurdistan in the escrow account of the UN oil-for-food programmes; and what the reasons are for withholding aid to Iraqi Kurdistan. [87078] Mr. Mike O'Brien: [holding answer of 16 December 2002]: As of 11 December US$3.3 billion of `Oil For Food' revenue remained unallocated by Iraq in the UN escrow account. US$1.2billion of the revenue allocated to the UN humanitarian programme in northern Iraq is currently unspent. The Iraqi regime has consistently obstructed improvements in northern Iraq, delaying the arrival of de-mining equipment that could save lives and denying visas to UN personnel involved in essential humanitarian projects. It has also restricted the distribution of food and medicines to northern Iraq.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 396 c947W;396 c945W; 87078
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: International assistance Humanitarian aid Iraq Food Oil Sanctions Kurds
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk