Written question asked by Caroline Spelman (Conservative) on Thursday, 16 October 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 23 October 2003. It was answered by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Thursday, 23 October 2003 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions his Department has had with NGOs working with children and adults with learning disabilities in Iraq; what assessment he has made of the number of people suffering from learning disabilities in Iraq.

Answer: Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent discussions his Department has had with NGOs working with children and adults with learning disabilities in Iraq; [133475] (2) what assessment he has made of the number of people suffering from learning disabilities in Iraq. [133553] Hilary Benn: DFID has held no specific discussions with NGOs on this issue, and no assessment has been made to date. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is responsible for institutions which work with children and adults with learning disabilities. UNICEF is working closely with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to support them to enhance services for vulnerable and disadvantaged children generally. DFID's programme in Iraq is focused on meeting the needs of all Iraqis, especially the most vulnerable.

Secondary information