Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is providing to famine relief operations in Somalia; and if she will make a statement.

The Secretary of State visited Somalia on 17 June where she announced a further £60m uplift in UK support to drought relief operations, on top of a contribution of £110m announced last February. During her visit she said: “The UK stepped up early with support, and lobbied others to do more, which has prevented the spread of famine. We are showing our continued leadership with more food, more water and more medicine for those at imminent risk of dying from drought and conflict. The world must follow our lead and act now to put an end to humanitarian crises that threaten our global stability and help accelerate progress on peace, security and prosperity – which is firmly in everyone’s interest.”