Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the eligibility of Antigua and Barbuda to receive aid and assistance following the recent hurricane damage.

Antigua and Barbuda is eligible to receive Official Development Assistance (ODA). The island of Barbuda, with a population of 1,800 persons, was recently devastated by Hurricane Irma and the UK is providing humanitarian assistance, through the Red Cross and the Pan American Health Organisation, to the affected population. We have also released £14 million, to Antigua and Barbuda, for climate-resilient infrastructure projects to help the islands build back better and stronger. DFID is awaiting the World Bank’s post disaster needs assessment and will review future needs accordingly, in collaboration with other donors. All of this UK support will be classified as ODA.