Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance she plans to provide for the reconstruction or repair of schools destroyed or badly damaged in the Gaza conflict.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
The UK has contributed £6 million in funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)’s Gaza Flash Appeal, which was launched in order to provide emergency assistance for displaced people and, upon cessation of hostilities, to start early recovery activities including shelter and installation repair. Our £20 million pledge at the Cairo conference included further support to UNRWA to support reconstruction. The UK has also provided £500,000 to support the temporary Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism to allow construction materials into Gaza.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what emergency aid her Department is providing for Gazans whose homes have been destroyed in the recent conflict.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
The UK was one of the biggest donors to Gaza this summer, providing more than £17 million in emergency assistance to deliver lifesaving food, clean water, shelter and medical assistance to tens of thousands of people affected by the fighting. We have also pledged £20 million in early recovery assistance, which includes support for shelter and basic services, short-term employment to help with reconstruction, clearance of explosive remnants of war, and funding for the UN mechanism to import construction materials.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department has provided for trained psychosocial counsellors to help children in Gaza.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
DFID is funding a range of mental health and psychosocial support initiatives in Gaza, including psychosocial care for 3000 children and 1500 mothers, psychological training for 120 child carers, and psychotherapy for 900 severely traumatised children. The UK is also one of the largest donors to the UN Relief and Works Agency, which is providing psychosocial support and activities for children through its extensive network of schools.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the extent of damage to basic infrastructure and housing in Gaza arising from the recent conflict.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
The UN has estimated that 18,000 housing units were destroyed or severely damaged in the conflict and that 44,300 other housing units sustained some damage. The UN estimates that 20-30% of the water and sewage network was damaged, and reports extensive damage to the Gaza Power Plant and internal electricity grid, telecommunications and internet infrastructure, as well as factories and commercial buildings.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the cost of the reconstruction of Gaza.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
Assessments led by the Palestinian Authority, and carried out in conjunction with the United Nations and other partners, estimate the total cost of relief, recovery and reconstruction to be around $4 billion.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department has provided for British physicians and nurses working on short missions in Gaza.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
DFID provided support for an initial medical assessment in Gaza carried out by a team of British medical staff in August, and further support to take forward their recommendation for a small team of British specialists with trauma, orthopaedic and reconstructive skills to make follow-up visits to Gaza. We are also providing support for specialists in orthopaedic trauma, neurology, burns and amputation, drawn from the UK’s International Emergency Trauma Register, to provide highly specialised training, equipment and supervision for rehabilitation in Gaza.