Has someone from Buckingham being writing letters about Guatemala to their Conservative MP John Bercow? It's great to see his interest in Guatemala. He recently asked two questions in as many days in the House of Commons about the current situation in Guatemala with regards death squads and after hurricane Stan in October 2005.

Here is part of Gareth Thomas's (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for International Development) response on the situation in Guatemala after Stan.

"The most affected parts of the country were the south coast and the western region where 59,000 people were displaced. Since October 2005, at least 12,310 families have been given temporary familial shelters or have been reintegrated into their communities. The Guatemalan Government have undertaken extensive surveys of potential new land for these communities to minimise future risk of exposure to floods and mud-slides.

A key reconstruction priority was ensuring access to safe reliable water, and much of the rehabilitation effort has focused on this. Waterborne disease remains a risk for affected communities and the Ministry of Health have been supported in the provision of transportation services, basic health kits including mosquito nets, and training for communities in health and nutrition awareness. Overall progress in reconstructing sanitation units has been slow, which in many cases has only reached 10 per cent. of target so far. However, some areas have benefited from intensive NGO efforts to ensure safe water, with as many as 10,000 water filters being provided and treatment plants in three municipalities. The installation of systems has been undertaken in close conjunction with local government authorities and communities to ensure sustainability.

Children have been badly affected by the hurricane the most, and those who remain in shelters will continue to receive psychological and educational support from rehabilitation partners. A continuing concern is the restoration of the livelihoods of the communities affected, either through agricultural support to those who returned to their homes, or through income generation opportunities for those who remain in shelters or have been relocated. DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have been in discussions with the Guatemalan Government to assess how those worst affected by Stan can begin to rehabilitate their livelihoods."