Written question asked by Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 3 April 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 8 May 2003. It was answered by Adam Ingram (Labour) on Thursday, 8 May 2003 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures his Department has taken to safeguard the impartiality and independence of aid agencies delivering aid in Iraq.

Answer: Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department has taken to safeguard the impartiality and independence of aid agencies delivering aid in Iraq. [108045] Mr. Ingram: Aid agencies providing humanitarian assistance in Iraq are fully independent of coalition military forces. The Humanitarian Operations Centre in Kuwait City and the Humanitarian Aid Co-ordination Centre in the US Embassy in Amman encourage them to contact coalition forces in the area in which they will operate, in order to ensure they have up-to-date advice, but they are under no obligation to do so. The headquarters of the United Kingdom 1st Armoured Division in Basra includes two humanitarian advisors from the Department for International Development who provide advice on relief activities.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 108045; 404 c849W;404 c846W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Development aid International assistance Humanitarian aid Iraq Reconstruction
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk