asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their current estimate of the total number of fatalities and the number of displaced people in Darfur; and what is their assessment of any progress towards ending the conflict.[HL7539]

No reliable figures exist for the total number of persons killed across Darfur since the conflict began and estimates vary widely.

But every death, casualty or rape in Sudan is a tragedy. That is why we are pressing the Government of Sudan and the rebel groups to stop the fighting; to agree to the deployment of a UN force in Darfur; to co-operate in bolstering the AU in the interim; to commit to and implement the Darfur peace agreement; and to ensure full humanitarian access for the UN and NGOs in Darfur.

The security situation in Darfur remains critical. The Prime Minister is working to take forward a broad international initiative to press all sides to stop the fighting, secure transition from the current African Union (AU) force to a United Nations one, bolster the AU in the interim, reinvigorate the political process and ensure full humanitarian access for the UN and non-government organisations in the region. Ending the conflict is dependent on progress being made on these actions.