Straw Says Sorry to British Families

Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, apologised to British families yesterday who felt let down by the Foreign Office in the aftermath of the tsunami.

Some families complained they had not received adequate support. The Foreign Office view is that its staff, in most cases, responded quickly in reaching difficult places and being on hand to help relatives. But it acknowledges there were failings.

Mr Straw told the BBC: "Our people did a very good job, and I'm proud of them, but it was a job that wasn't good enough for some families, and I apologise to them, and I have apologised to them unreservedly."

About 150 Britons were among almost a quarter of a million people who died in the disaster on Boxing Day last year.

Mr Straw said the changing nature of travel and modern communications had placed new pressures on consular staff. "In today's globalised world, in any corner of the world, there are going to be tens, hundreds, sometimes thousands of British citizens travelling there. These are British citizens who, these days, have very high expectations of what the British government can deliver - and fair enough."

He said the Foreign Office, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Red Cross tsunami support network had worked hard to offer support to all those affected.

"That important work will continue, as does learning the lessons of where we could have done better," he said.

Mr Straw added: "At this time, when we all remember the tremendous devastation of last year's Indian Ocean tsunami, I would like to express the government's - and my own - sympathy to those who have suffered bereavement, injury or trauma due to the terrible events of Boxing Day last year."

Hilary Benn, the international development secretary, said good progress had been made in reconstruction throughout the region hit by the tsunami.

"Clearly there remains much to do and we will continue to support the reconstruction of people's homes and livelihoods in the devastated region to ensure that the aid pledged by the British people is put to best effect," Mr Benn said.

He appealed to other countries to support a new UN global emergency fund to provide instant resources when disasters strike.

"It is for each country to decide whether they are prepared to make a contribution," he said.

"I hope as many countries as possible will put in funding up front so that the United Nations - which is the body that leads on behalf of the whole of the world when disaster strikes - has the resources it needs to get to work straightaway."