§ 21. Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on recent UK development aid to the Palestinian Authority. [138125]
§ Clare ShortThe UK's priority is to continue support to build a Palestinian nation through economic and social development that takes full account of the needs of the poor. As well as supporting the peace process, our development programme seeks to improve parliamentary democracy, Palestinian basic health care, education, access to water and sanitation, gender equality, legislation, integration into the global economy and improving the efficiency and accountability of the Palestinian Authority. We are also seeking to increase the effectiveness of our support via multilateral institutions, in particular the EC and the UN Relief Works Agency.
In response to the recent troubles DFID has provided $100,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross for medical assistance and two emergency experts to the UN Office for the co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs. We are following events in the region closely and will respond where we can to developments.