§ Mr. Abseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is now the total number of people classified as Palestinian refugees; what is the total sum so far contributed by Her Majesty's Government to their relief; how much it is proposed to contribute this year; and what proportion of the sum contributed by Her Majesty's Government last year was spent on road services, education and vocational training, respectively, to enable those so classified to begin to earn their own livelihood.
§ Mrs. WhiteOn 30th June, 1965, the total number of people registered as refugees with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East was 1,280,823. By the end of 1965, Her Majesty's Government had contributed a total sum of £33,350,004 to their relief.
Her Majesty's Government are pledged to contribute to the Agency £1,785,714 for the calendar year 1966; and to consider increasing this contribution to £1,928,517 if satisfactory evidence becomes available that the refugees and the Governments of the countries in which they live are 219W co-operating effectively with the Agency in its efforts to rectify known abuses of the ration distribution system.
Her Majesty's Government stipulated that only 45 per cent.—£867,857—of their contribution for 1965 should be employed in the provision of rations and other forms of direct relief. The remaining 55 per cent.—£1,060,714—was therefore available to provide for health services and education and vocational training, although no stipulation was made as to its exact use. According to the Agency budget, 13 per cent. of the total expenditure was to be on health services and 42 per cent. on education and vocational training. On this basis, some £250,714 of Her Majesty's Government's contribution was spent on health services and some £810,000 on education and vocational training.
§ Mr. Abseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the sum contributed by Her Majesty's Government last year to those classified as refugees in the Gaza strip; whether he is aware that part of the sum contributed went to those being trained in the Palestine Liberation Organisation which is pledged to annihilate Israel; and whether he will reduce the contribution made to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency until steps are taken to purge the ration lists of those who are not genuine refugees.
§ Mrs. WhiteFor the calendar year 1965, Her Majesty's Government contributed £1,928,572 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. We have no figures showing how much of this was spent in the Gaza Strip.
Her Majesty's Government's contributions are intended to provide only for the relief of refugees who are genuinely in need. They are not intended to support political or military activities, whether directly or indirectly.
Her Majesty's Government have repeatedly pointed out to all concerned that continued failure to rectify the abuses of the relief system can only lessen confidence in the ability of the Agency to carry out its task effectively and reduce the financial support given to the Agency by the international community, including Britain.