Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 September (HL10094), how often they will monitor the Palestinian Authority's implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation between the UK and the Palestinian Government, published on 28 April, and what methods they will use to monitor that implementation.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the statement made on the Middle East by the Prime Minister on 14 October, in which he addressed at length the issues arising from the UK's decision to recognise the State of Palestine. Any further updates will be announced in the normal way in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 September (HL10094), when they expect the independent audit of the completion of the reforms in the Palestinian Authority's National Program for Development and Reform to be conducted.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the statement made on the Middle East by the Prime Minister on 14 October, in which he addressed at length the issues arising from the UK's decision to recognise the State of Palestine. Any further updates will be announced in the normal way in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 September (HL10094), on how many occasions and over what time period the Palestinian Authority has committed to reform prisoner payments; how those reforms were audited; and what assessment they have made of the impact of those reforms.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

In President Abbas' letter to President Macron, dated 9 June 2025, he set out his commitment to the principles of non-violence, the organisation of elections, the development of a school curriculum that is free from incitement, and the implementation of a new social security system, which will revoke so-called prisoner payments, and ensure that any future welfare payments are needs-based and delinked from violent actions. The Palestinian Authority must now ensure that an independent audit is conducted to verify that these reforms have been completed.