Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total cost to the UK of aid given in connection with the recent hurricanes and storms in the Caribbean and South-Western United States.

The UK has provided £92 million of funding in response to the damage inflicted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and is matching public donations to the British Red Cross Appeal up to £3 million. On 27 November the Prime Minister announced a further £70 million package of recovery and reconstruction support for the affected Overseas Territories. This will be delivered over the next three years and will be supplemented by up to £300 million of loan guarantees.

£72 million of the immediate response and early recovery funding has been allocated to the UK Overseas Territories. This is being managed through the cross-Whitehall Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and is being delivered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development (DFID), the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and the Department of Health. In addition £20 million of official development assistance​ has also been allocated from the DFID budget for the response to the impact in Barbuda and Dominica.

The £70 million long term recovery and reconstruction package will also be governed by the CSSF.