To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions (a) he, (b) his officials and (c) UK representatives in Brussels have had with (i) members and (ii) representatives of the EU Commission on the additional €160 million funding announced to supplement EU food aid; what assessment his Department has made of the planned distribution of these additional funds; whether his Department was consulted in the process of reaching this decision; and if he will make a statement. (192972)

The European Commission’s €160 million operational plan for food aid to meet the food needs of approximately 18,675,000 people was discussed with member states at the Humanitarian Aid Committee (MAC) on 13-14 December in Brussels. DFID received the papers about the decision but was not represented at this meeting.

Following the Humanitarian Aid Committee in December the operational plan for food aid was adopted by the European Parliament on 19 February.

These funds form part of the €223 million food aid budget under the European Commission’s Humanitarian Regulation. They take account of expected increases in humanitarian demand due to climatic shock, the decreasing availability of food, the impact of recent food price rises and the reducing incomes of the most vulnerable groups.

DFID subsequently reviewed the operational plan and is confident that the allocation is appropriate and will be spent where there is genuine need.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions (a) he, (b) his officials and (c) UK representatives in Washington DC have had with (i) members and (ii) representatives of the US Administration on the possible matching of the increase in EU food aid by the US; and if he will make a statement. (192973)

Our UK representatives in Washington understand that there is no move to increase budgets or overhaul the structure of US food aid.

There are also no current plans to increase EU food aid. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today (UIN 192972).