Part of Oral Answers to Questions — International Development – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 11 June 2008.
Shahid Malik
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for International Development
11:30,
11 June 2008
The hon. Gentleman is right to focus on the suffering of the people of Iraq. That is why, since 2003, the Department and the Government have provided £149 million in humanitarian assistance. With respect to the US Federal Reserve, it is not for us to comment on negotiations between the US military and the Iraqi Government. Needless to say, we are in close contact with the US and Iraq as they formulate their views on the detail and structure of their long-term relationship. I assure the House that we will ensure that future civilian assistance and any future military assistance to Iraq will be based on a sound legal and political footing.