Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd June 2015 Commons Chamber

[John Howell (Henley) (Con)]

4. What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of UK aid to the Palestinian Authority.

[The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Mr Desmond Swayne)]

Our support has enabled the Palestinian Authority to carry out state-building reforms in public financial administration and security. The international community has recognised that the PA is now ready for statehood.

[John Howell]

I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

Is the Minister aware of reports that the Palestinian Authority continues to pay convicted terrorists, and will he investigate whether UK payments are being used for that purpose?

[Mr Swayne]

I assure my hon. Friend that no UK payments are made for that purpose. Our support to the Palestinian Authority is paid through a World Bank-controlled trust fund to named civil servants and then independently audited.

[Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith) (Lab)]

More Palestinian civilians were killed last year than in any year since 1967, and the crisis gets worse and worse in the occupied territories, especially in Gaza. I see today that the Foreign Office has called for the Rafah crossing into Egypt to be opened, but what are Ministers doing to ensure that the goods and passenger crossings into Israel are opened? What pressure is DFID putting on the Israeli Government to do that?

[Mr Swayne]

We make representations at every level all the time to enable goods and services to be exported into and out of Gaza. There can be no future for Gaza until there is a complete transformation in that process, and for that to proceed, a peace process is required.

[Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab)]

5. What recent progress has been made in negotiations to agree the sustainable development goals.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

6. What support her Department is giving to the Rohingya people in Burma.

[The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Mr Desmond Swayne)]

The Department for International Development is one of the biggest international donors in Rakhine state. We have just increased our support by a further £6.2 million, bringing our support since 2012 to £18 million.

[Kerry McCarthy]

Does the Minister agree that the time is long overdue for Burma to address the persecution and poverty that force the Rohingya to flee? Does he think that the time is now right for the UN Secretary-General to lead the negotiations, so that humanitarian non-governmental organisations can gain access to Rakhine state?

[Mr Swayne]

Yes, and a director general of DFID is in Rakhine state as we speak, and we take every opportunity to push forward these matters.

[Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate) (Con)]

Surely, the plight of thousands of Rohingya people adrift in the bay of Bengal must call for greater leadership from not only the United Nations but the United Kingdom. Should we ensure not only that we make representations in meetings with ambassadors but that our taxpayers’ aid and access to our diplomatic doors are made contingent on ensuring proper recognition of the Rohingya and full respect of human rights?

[Mr Swayne]

Absolutely. I have taken every opportunity to raise this matter with Burmese Ministers. My caution with respect to my hon. Friend’s suggested course of action is that I am not prepared to withdraw British aid from poor people simply because of the regime under which they suffer.

[Paul Scully (Sutton and Cheam) (Con)]

15. What is the UK doing to encourage a co-ordinated response to the south-east Asian boat migrant situation?

[Mr Swayne]

Our ambassador attended the recent conference with Malaysia and Bangladesh. We participated with a démarche of Burmese Ministers, along with the United States and the French, and we are doing everything that we can precisely to make this a regional response.

[Christina Rees (Neath) (Lab)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.