KURDISTAN EMERGENCY APPEAL

Early day motion 613, tabled 10 December 2014 by David Anderson (Labour). Signed by 26 members.

That this House warmly welcomes the Kurdistan Emergency Appeal launched by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) UK representation, the Kurdish community and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Kurdistan region; notes that the appeal for funds and goods, such as blankets, has been necessitated by the presence in Kurdistan, whose population is normally five million people, of about 1.5 million refugees and internally displaced people, most of whom arrived with nothing to their name; recognises that the KRG has sought urgently to provide shelter but this has been stymied by an Iraqi federal government decision this year to cut budget payments to the region, UN funding shortfalls and bureaucracy; is concerned that deaths will result from the coming cold winter and rains; and commends the appeal as allowing the British public and the Kurdish diaspora once again to contribute directly to relieving the plight of those escaping from the so-called Islamic State.

Signatures by party: Labour 16, DUP 4, Independent 2, Liberal Democrat 2, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1.