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disasters during 2005 focused public attention on the policies and practices of
humanitarian assistance. The IDC has decided to conduct an inquiry into Humanitarian
response to natural disasters. The focus is specifically on natural disasters
(both slow and rapid onset), although we recognise that there is not always a
clear distinction between natural disasters and complex emergencies. The inquiry
will address the following issues:
 Initial
disaster response and the international humanitarian system - How
do INGOs, national NGOs, the media, parliamentarians and the public influence
DFID's decision-making and responses to natural disasters?
- Are
lessons drawn from evaluations applied during later responses? What impact has
the Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) initiative had on practices?
- How
useful have recent reviews of the capacity, effectiveness and flexibility of the
international humanitarian system been?
- Are
proposals (including those from HMG) for the reform of the international humanitarian
system realistic and comprehensive? Are they likely to affect the responsiveness
of the public and government to future humanitarian funding appeals?
- What
should be the role of the military and civil defence actors in humanitarian responses?
- What
local consultation and accountability processes does DFID engage in when providing
humanitarian aid?
Vulnerability
and disaster preparedness - How
do DFID and other development actors assess the vulnerabilities of the recipients
of development assistance to natural disasters?
- How
do donors ensure that humanitarian assistance is delivered equitably (in terms
of gender, ethnicity, caste etc.), and does not exacerbate existing inequalities?
- How
can donors deliver humanitarian assistance in ways which support the disaster
response capacity of recipient country governments?
- Do
humanitarian responses to natural disasters affect the ability of people to cope
with future disasters?
- Has
an appropriate balance been found between investment in disaster preparedness
and disaster response?
- Have
early warning mechanisms effectively informed decisions about intervention?
Development
and humanitarian assistance - How
effectively do DFID and other development actors analyse the risks to their development
programmes posed by natural disasters?
- Is
DFID taking account of the key threats to their humanitarian programmes, including
HIV/AIDS, avian flu and climate change?
- Can
the interaction between development work and humanitarian assistance be improved?
- How
appropriate is the balance between donor spending on immediate relief work and
longer term reconstruction and development? How successfully are transitions between
relief, reconstruction and development managed?
The
Committee will focus on the role of DFID and the UK Government, but the inquiry
will also examine the roles played by NGOs, the Red Cross Movement, the United
Nations, the European Union, other multilateral donors and the governments of
disaster affected countries. The inquiry is not intended to replicate the numerous
evaluations of specific disasters which have been produced recently. It will however,
review how the recommendations which the IDC has made in previous inquiries have
been received and applied.
Submission
of written evidence
Organisations and individuals with relevant experience
and expertise - especially from developing countries - are invited to submit written
evidence addressing (any of) the themes listed above. The Committee encourages
submissions which draw on evidence and experience of specific natural disasters,
including disasters which have not attracted a high international media profile.
Evidence should reach the Clerk of the Committee by 10 May 2006.
Evidence
submitted should: - if
possible, be provided electronically in MS Word or Rich Text format, either by
e-mail to indcom@parliament.uk or on a disk. If submitted by e-mail or e-mail
attachment, a letter should also be sent validating the e-mail;
- the
letterhead should contain your full postal address and contact details;
- any
memorandum of more than six pages should begin with a one page summary;
- have
numbered paragraphs;
- and
avoid the use of colour or expensive-to-print material;
Further
guidance on the submission of evidence can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/witguide.htm
Material already published elsewhere should not form the basis of a submission,
but may be referred to within a memorandum, in which case a hard copy of the published
work should be included. Submissions can be sent via indcom@parliament.uk
or, by post, to:
International Development Committee
7 Millbank, London,
SW1P 3JA.
Please
bear in mind that Committees are not able to investigate individual cases.
Detailed enquiries to Hannah Weston, Second Clerk on:
020 7219
0851 or westonh@parliament.uk
Media
Enquiries: Jessica Bridges-Palmer, 020 7219 0718 or bridgespalmerj@parliament.uk
Committee website: http://www.parliament.uk/indcom
Watch committees and parliamentary debates online: http://www.parliamentlive.tv
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