To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing (a) directly and (b) via non-governmental organisations to alleviate conditions of poverty in North Korea. (277290)

The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have, and has never had, a bilateral development programme in North Korea. Any DFID assistance is solely focussed on alleviating the suffering of the people of North Korea. We are currently contributing to the EU’s programme of humanitarian assistance.