International Development

Wednesday 8th February 2017 Ministerial Corrections

Occupied Palestine Territories

The following is an extract from Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development on 11 January 2017.

[Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)]

8. Among the buildings that the Israeli authorities have demolished are community facilities, some of which have been funded and developed with money from the Minister’s Department. I would welcome his statement, but I think that we need action rather than words. Has the time not come to send Mr Netanyahu the bill for the demolition of structures funded by the British taxpayer?

[Rory Stewart]

The British taxpayer has not funded any structures that have been demolished by the Israeli Government. The European Union has funded structures that have been demolished by the Israeli Government, but so far it has not decided to seek compensation. [Official Report, 11 January 2017, Vol. 619, c. 297.]

Letter of correction from Rory Stewart.

An error has been identified in the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East (Tommy Sheppard) during Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development.

The correct answer should have been:

[Rory Stewart]

The British taxpayer has not directly funded any structures in recent years that have been demolished by the Israeli Government. The European Union has funded structures that have been demolished by the Israeli Government, but so far it has not decided to seek compensation.