Sri Lanka: Overseas Aid

Mr. Dismore
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian aid (a) his Department, (b) the EU and (c) the UN has delivered to the Tamil people in Sri Lanka in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Foster
The information is as follows:

(a) Over the last 12 months the Department for International Development (DFID) has allocated £12.5 million of humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka. Of this approximately £6 million remains to respond rapidly to further needs on the ground and for early recovery when the displaced population are able to return home. All of DFID's humanitarian funding to Sri Lanka is channelled through impartial humanitarian agencies.

(b) For 2009 the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has pledged US$ 3.952 million for humanitarian aid for victims of conflict in the north and east of Sri Lanka.

(c) The UN has received contributions of US $155,122,669 for the UN Consolidated Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) 2009 for Sri Lanka. This includes contributions for both UN and non-governmental organisations.