Written question asked by Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party) on Tuesday, 7 December 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 15 December 2004. It was answered by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Wednesday, 15 December 2004 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the predicted number of people depending on food aid in 2005 in Eritrea; and if he will make a statement. -Inc figures.

Answer: Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the predicted number of people depending on food aid in 2005 in Eritrea; and if he will make a statement. [204152] Hilary Benn: The UN Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) for 2005 estimates that 2.2 million people are in need of emergency food aid assistance. Initial feedback from the recent Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Food Programme Crop Assessment Mission to Eritrea is that the harvest for 2004 is likely to be similar or slightly less than last year. Last year's harvest was only 45 per cent. of the average harvest for the previous five years. The UN CAP is for $158 million, of which, $144 million is specifically for food aid.

Secondary information