Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 23 July (HL8), what is their assessment of the likelihood of famine in Darfur, given the existing number of people experiencing emergency levels of hunger.

The conflict in Sudan has created a manmade humanitarian disaster with 9.25 million people facing emergency or famine conditions. For the first time, over 755,000 people are projected to be at risk of famine (IPC 5). This financial year, UK bilateral ODA to Sudan will increase to £92 million, with a significant amount going towards humanitarian aid. UK support is being delivered through the UN and other trusted partners and is providing nutrition, safe drinking water, medical care and shelter. The UK also continues to pursue all diplomatic avenues to press the warring parties into a permanent ceasefire, allow unrestricted humanitarian access, protect civilians and commit to a sustained and meaningful peace process.