Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current political and security situation in Haiti; and what steps they are taking, together with international partners, to provide urgent humanitarian assistance.

Minister Rutley has engaged significantly on this issue, discussing it with regional and international partners over many months. I most recently engaged with Caribbean partners during my attendance at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government meeting in Guyana on 26 February, where I discussed concerns about - and options to respond to - the security situation in Haiti. The UK welcomes the recent swearing in of the Transitional Presidential Council. This is an important step on the journey to restoring much needed political stability in Haiti. It is clear that the climate of insecurity is driving Haiti's humanitarian needs, and we hope that deployment of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, to which the Foreign Secretary announced a £5 million ODA contribution on 9 April, will improve this. The difficult security situation within Haiti has impeded humanitarian access but we will continue to work with our international partners to build a coordinated and coherent response so that international support can reach people in need.