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South Africa: Immigrants

Volume 477: debated on Tuesday 17 June 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of South Africa on attacks on immigrants and refugees in South Africa. (209302)

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not to date discussed this specific issue with the Government of South Africa. However, he plans to visit the country soon and will do so then during discussion on a wide range of bilateral and other issues.

In a speech made on 5 June in South Africa, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development condemned the violence and announced a £500,000 (7.5 million Rand) funding package to provide assistance to migrants in temporary shelters affected by the recent violence. The money will be split between the South Africa based Treatment Action Campaign in the Western Cape, which will receive £200,000 and Oxfam's programme in Gauteng, which will receive £300,000.