Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the priorities for international assistance in connection with the recent earthquake on the border of Iran and Iraq.

HMG staff have visited the earthquake affected areas in Iraq to assess priorities for international assistance. DFID Iraq funds have been used to provide emergency cash assistance to around 200 families who are unable to return home. This will allow families made homeless by the earthquake to find temporary rental accommodation, start to make repairs, and replace essential day to day items that have been lost in the rubble so that they can cook, eat, clean, and have a degree of dignity. The assistance will be targeted towards those most in need. HMG also stands ready to offer assistance to Iran and has made this offer to the Iranian authorities. The government of Iran has not requested international assistance so far.