To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assistance the UK has provided to those affected by the hurricanes in Haiti. (225507)

The Department for International Development (DFID) committed up to £7 million for humanitarian relief and early recovery to the Caribbean after the recent hurricanes, some £6 million of which is for Haiti to help restore water, sanitation and other essential services and supplies. DFID also sent a humanitarian assessment team to Haiti and is supporting UN relief co-ordination there with two seconded experts.

In addition, the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) is committing €700,000 for humanitarian relief, 15.8 per cent. of which is charged to DFID’s budget.

Although DFID has no long-term bilateral development programme or representation in Haiti, DFID will continue to support Haiti through engagement with and funding of multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, United Nations, European Union, regional CARICOM institutions, the Caribbean Development Bank and international NGOs. We judge these actors to be best placed to assist Haiti’s development because of their long-term presence.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made by the United Nations relief fund to help those affected by the recent hurricanes in Haiti; and if he will make a statement. (225508)

The United Nations (UN) issued an international appeal for post-hurricane humanitarian relief funding for Haiti totalling $107 million. So far we understand donors have committed $23,540,000, 22 per cent. of the appeal. The Department for International Development (DFID) is channelling £4 million of its £6 million humanitarian aid for Haiti through the UN.

In the very difficult circumstances prevailing in Haiti all agencies are finding it difficult to manage relief. There are challenges of staffing, co-ordination and logistics. We have targeted our support to be as helpful as possible to the UN agencies in overcoming these constraints.