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Iraq: Displaced People

Volume 703: debated on Tuesday 22 July 2008

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether they will raise with the relevant authorities the lack of ration cards for 30,000 displaced Iraqis living in the Nineveh plains. [HL4236]

The Department for International Development (DfID) is in close touch with the World Food Programme (WFP), the largest provider of food assistance in Iraq, about those internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Nineveh plains who are currently without ration cards.

Until recently, the WFP has been unable to operate in this area due to security concerns. However, during the next few weeks, it is due to commence an operation to distribute food to IDPs who have moved to the Nineveh plains from other governorates and who have registered with the Iraqi Ministry of Migration but are currently without ration cards.

Funding for this food distribution operation will come from the $83 million which has been earmarked by the WFP to assist 750,000 IDPs in Iraq. DfID has made a contribution in 2008 of £2 million to the WFP for this work. The Iraqi Government have recently announced the provision of $40 million to the WFP.