Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Carmichael Excerpts

Wednesday 5th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

I can say that the hon. Gentleman’s Government were responsible because they designed the project. Indeed, Ministers failed to sign it off because they did not sign off projects of less than £40 million. The only money we are spending on it now is in answering his 30-odd parliamentary questions, which have so far cost the taxpayer £5,000.

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

7. What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the UK’s programme of support for Syrian refugees.

[The Secretary of State for International Development (Justine Greening)]

The UK has allocated £265 million to support refugees in countries neighbouring Syria, providing food for more than 320,000 people per month, 71,000 medical consultations, and an improved water supply for more than 40,000 people. We are working closely with Governments, the UN and others to ensure that the overall international response builds resilience and is implemented effectively.

[Neil Carmichael]

What discussions has the Secretary of State had with Syrian refugees about their hopes of returning to Syria?

[Justine Greening]

I have had many discussions, not least in my most recent visit to a UNHCR registration centre in Lebanon earlier this year, which is handling 1,000 refugees a day. Those I spoke to are determined to go back and rebuild their country, and they want to get their lives back on track. The work that we are doing both with humanitarian support and in pushing for a political settlement will help them to do that eventually.