Straw will visit disaster zone after Jakarta summit

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and aid minister Hilary Benn will visit the disaster region this week, No 10 said today.

Mr Straw will represent the G8 nations at a summit in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, on Thursday and then go to Phuket, where many Britons lost their lives.

Mr Benn will visit the worst-hit region, Aceh, then Sri Lanka.

Britain this month took over the presidency of the G8 and No 10 said all the member nations had agreed Mr Straw should speak for them.

Tony Blair was also holding telephone talks with George Bush on the disaster.

No10 said Mr Blair's family had made a "personal donation" to the fund but the amount was not disclosed.

Meanwhile, President Bush's brother Jeb, the Florida governor, said today the hurricanes that hit the state last year paled in comparison with the Asian disaster.

Mr Bush on a visit to Phuket with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, said that his experience dealing with the aftermath would help him assess the damage from the tsunami.