To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department estimates to be the annual recurrent costs of maintaining a high level of preparedness for UN agencies. [104362]

The UN agencies do not provide detailed figures on the cost of their contingency planning and preparedness. The majority of DIFID's regular support to UN agencies is provided as packages of assistance focused on capacity building and institutional strengthening, under the terms of its Institutional Strategy Papers.In the financial year 2002–03, DFID provided approximately £27.2 million of support to UN agencies to strengthen their ongoing preparedness for emergent crises, Contributions per agency were as follows:

	£ million
UNHCR	14
UNICEF	3.3
UNDP	4.3
OCHA	4.5
WFP	1.1

By strengthening these agencies organisationally, DFID is also helping them to provide a more rapid and effective response both at headquarters and in the field. In particular, DFID's partnerships with OCHA, UNDP, UNICEF and WFP all include elements which aim to have a clear impact on their levels of preparedness. Our contribution to OCHA is designed to develop its capacity to develop and co-ordinate humanitarian response and capacity, £2 million of our contribution to UNDP is used to develop the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery's capacity to support UNDP Country Offices in the event of an emerging crisis and a further £2 million has been provided to UNICEF for strengthening of emergency response and preparedness. We have also provided additional support to specific agencies in preparation for the Iraq crisis.