Written question asked by Bill Wiggin (Conservative) on Wednesday, 26 June 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 July 2002. It was answered by Clare Short (Labour) on Thursday, 4 July 2002 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the number of families in Zimbabwe who have been moved from their homes as a result of section 8 orders. - Inc figures.

Answer: Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of families in Zimbabwe who have been moved from their homes as a result of section 8 orders. [65678] Clare Short: It is difficult to obtain accurate information. According to the Commercial Farmers' Union about 2,900 farm owners have received section 8 orders and most of these will be legally required to leave their homes in the first half of August. However many may choose not to do so at this point while further legal avenues are being explored. Farm workers are also at risk of losing their only income and their home with the change of farm ownership. There are around 300,000 farm workers affected by the land reform programme which with their families affects perhaps two million people. While we do not know exactly how many of them have already been forced off farms, we are working with the farm workers' organisations and the UN World Food Programme to monitor their situation and meet their immediate humanitarian needs.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 388 c541-2W;388 c539W; 65678
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Families Land Farms Evictions Farmers Ownership Politics and government Property rights Tenure Zimbabwe
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk