Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Desmond Swayne and Alex Cunningham

Wednesday 16th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

5. What assessment she has made of the quality and availability of water and sanitation facilities in Gaza.

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

It is completely inadequate. Demand exceeds supply by a factor of four, and 96% of the extracted water fails World Health Organisation safety standards.

[Alex Cunningham]

It is a terrible situation. Twenty-six per cent. of all diseases in Gaza, ranging from respiratory and gastric to skin and eye diseases, are directly associated with the poor water supply. Clean water is limited to 70 litres per person a day and that figure will fall drastically over the coming years. According to the UN, the underground coastal aquifer will become unusable by 2016. What can be done about that, or is it just a case of lifting the Israeli blockade and getting on with life?

[Mr Swayne]

We are currently spending some €600,000 on a project to assist with desalination. Funds are available through our climate change fund for a long-term solution to this problem, but the level of investment and the marshalling of the factors of production will require a long-term peace process to be viable.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Desmond Swayne and Alex Cunningham

Wednesday 28th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Very pithy—we are grateful.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

13. Refugee children in Europe also face a tough winter. Last week the UNHCR expressed concern that unaccompanied children moving within Europe are at a heightened risk of violence and abuse, especially in overcrowded reception centres, while Save the Children operations in Italy and Greece have identified that these children are suffering a high level of psychological distress. Does the Minister agree that just because these children have arrived in Europe, it does not mean they are safe? Will he have a word in the Prime Minister’s ear to remind him that I wrote to him on 11 September and am still awaiting an answer?

[Mr Swayne]

I do not think the Prime Minister will be needing any reminder about the nature of the crisis. However, the hon. Gentleman is quite right. It is precisely for those reasons that we provide core funding to the UNHCR and UNICEF.