§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 11 March 2002,Official Report, column 684W, on Israel, if she will list the projects in the area administered 614W by the Palestinian Authority that have been funded by the (a) UK on a bilateral basis and (b) European Union, stating in each case the (i) nature of the project, (ii) funding to date, (iii) funding in each of the last five years, (iv) provisional assessment made against that project of structural and financial damage by Israeli action in the Occupied Territories and (v) amount of financial compensation to be sought; and if she will make a statement. [46679]
§ Hilary BennAn assessment of UK-funded projects has shown only two projects sustaining direct damage. The vehicle provided through our support to the Primary Health Care management-training course at Bir Zeit. University was damaged during an aerial attack on Ramallah. The project is the second phase of post-graduate training for primary healthcare managers at Bir Zeit University. The project began in 2000 and to date has spent approximately £1.1 million. In 2000 it spent £0.7 million, £0.3 million in 2001 and £0.1 million so far this financial year. An initial estimate of the damage is approximately £28,000.
Our project with Save the Children Fund (SCF) in Rafah also sustained direct damage when a community centre funded by the project was hit by Israeli Defence Force (IDF) fire. The aim of the project, and its sister initiatives in Jabalia, Anabta and Dura, is to improve access to potable water, sanitation and environmental health. The project in Rafah began in 1999 and to date has spent approximately £2 million. In 1999 it spent £0.4 million, in 2000 £0.7 million, £0.6 million in 2001, and £0.3 million so far in 2002. The final cost of the damage has not yet been confirmed.
For information on projects funded by the European Commission I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 March 2002 to Parliamentary Question 46308.
The conflict and closures have had a major impact on all development projects. The matter of financial compensation has not yet been determined. The local Task Force on Project Implementation (EC, USAID, office of the United Nations Special Co-ordinator, and the World Bank) wrote to the Benjamin Ben Eliezer, Israeli Minister of Defense (25 March 2002) conveying the international donor community's concern in relation to the adverse affects of IDF activities upon project implementation. A meeting is to take place in the near future between the Task Force and Minister Eliezer.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects in Israel that have been funded by the(a) UK on a bilateral basis and (b) European Union, stating in each case the (i) nature of the project and (ii) funding to date, in each of the last five years; what assessment she has made of structural and financial damage by Palestinian action to such projects; and if she will make a statement. [46660]
§ Hilary BennIsrael's level of economic development is relatively high. For this reason Israel is not a recipient of UK or EC development assistance.