Skip to main content

Iraq: Refugees

Volume 693: debated on Tuesday 26 June 2007

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Statement by the Lord President on 1 June (Official Report, col. 1464) that “we have contributed some £744 million since the conflict in Iraq started in 2003”, whether they provided this entire sum for Iraqi refugees; and how much of this sum was (a) allocated to Iraqi refugees in each calendar year from 2003 to 2007; and (b) provided for Iraqi refugees in the year from 11 June 2006 to 11 June 2007. [HL4308]

Since 2003, the UK has pledged £744 million for reconstruction and development for Iraq. This includes contributions from DfID, the FCO, the MoD, the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP), and the UK's share of EC funding. The UK has already disbursed more than £600 million.

Of this total, DfID has disbursed more than £125 million for humanitarian activities, which has been channelled through internationally mandated organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Of this, we have made the following disbursements since 2003, specifically for refugees and displaced people:

£ Sterling

Year

ICRC

UNHCR

IOM

2003

18,000,000

1,750,000

-

2004

-

-

-

2005

10,000,000

-

-

2006

4,000,000

-

-

2007

7,000,000

1,500,000

1,000,000

Total

39,000,000

3,250,000

1,000,000

DfID continues to support the UN and other humanitarian agencies to assist internally and externally displaced persons in Iraq. So far this year, we have contributed £10 million to support humanitarian agencies working in Iraq and the region.