§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid will be given to help rebuild settlements destroyed on the West Bank; and if he will make a statement. [43220]
§ Mr. BradshawThrough our bilateral aid programme, the European Union and UNWRA we support the short term needs of the Palestinian Authority. It is also critical to address our long-term goal of Palestinian nation building in parallel. The aim of our development assistance programme in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is to help develop the building blocks which will support the creation of a viable Palestinian state. We aim to provide a broad range of technical assistance designed to promote peace, stability and economic and social development. UK bilateral assistance is planned at £14 million this year. In 2001 the UK contributed £25 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to support vulnerable Palestinian refugee communities. The Government have no specific plans to give aid to rebuild Palestinian towns in the West Bank.