Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2018 to Question 141795, on Palestinians: Overseas Aid, what the terms of engagement are for that independent financial audit.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Financial audits are carried out on all individual DFID programmes operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). The body carrying out the audits, and the terms of reference vary depending on the DFID programme, however all independent financial audits provide assurance to DFID that funds are spent and managed in line with agreed programme activities. The overall DFID OPTs portfolio is also subject to the regular audit cycle of DFID’s Internal Audit Department and the National Audit Office.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority (PA), what discussions her Department has had with the PA on the broadcast on 3 February 2018 on the official PA radio station, The Voice of Palestine, of a poem featuring lyrics stating that Palestine is etched on the heart of the foetus, a proud martyr in his mother's womb.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK Government deplores any act of incitement to violence. Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority (PA) includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and avoid actions that could incite violence or hatred. During my most recent visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories in May 2018, I personally led this year’s high level annual meeting as part of our annual dialogue with the PA where I challenged the PA on a number of issues such as incitement. The UK continues to urge the Palestinian leadership to uphold this principle of non-violence.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority (PA), what discussions her Department has had with the PA on the description on official PA TV on 17 February 2018 of the Nimr Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Jamal, responsible for the murder of three Israelis, as a martyr who ascended to heaven.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK Government deplores any act of incitement to violence. Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority (PA) includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and avoid actions that could incite violence or hatred. During my most recent visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories in May 2018, I personally led this year’s high level annual meeting as part of our annual dialogue with the PA where I challenged the PA on a number of issues such as incitement. The UK continues to urge the Palestinian leadership to uphold this principle of non-violence.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority (PA), what discussions her Department has had with the PA on the naming of a PA Ministry of Education branch volleyball championship in May 2018 after Abd Al-Jaber Abd Al-Qaeder Khaled, who attempted to carry out a suicide bombing attack in 2002.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Our sustained support to the PA means that we have a close and robust relationship with senior PA Ministers. I have raised issues of incitement in the education sector in a number of recent conversations with the PA Minister for Education and Higher Education, most recently when I met with the PA during my visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories in May 2018. Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority (PA) includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and avoid actions that could incite violence or hatred. The UK continues to urge the Palestinian leadership to uphold this principle.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority (PA), what discussions her Department has had with the PA on the erection of a billboard in April 2018, organised and sponsored by the PA funded Palestinian Prisoners' Club, honouring 17 Palestinian terrorists.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK Government deplores any act of incitement to violence. Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority (PA) includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and avoid actions that could incite violence or hatred. During my most recent visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories in May 2018, I personally led this year’s high level annual meeting as part of our annual dialogue with the PA where I challenged the PA on a number of issues such as incitement. The UK continues to urge the Palestinian leadership to uphold this principle of non-violence.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority (PA), what discussions her Department has had with the PA on Al-Hayat Al-Jadida’s description on 5 April 2018 of Israel as a colonialist satanic plant.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK strongly condemns any language or actions that could stir up hatred and prejudice. Our sustained support to the Palestinian Authority (PA) is underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding which requires the PA to commit to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and avoid actions that could incite violence or hatred. The UK continues to urge the Palestinian leadership to uphold this principle, as is demonstrated by my statement regarding President Abbas’ recent remarks at the Palestinian National Congress, which were deeply concerning. On the whole President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority have shown a commitment to non-violence and a two-state solution. President Abbas restated his commitment to the two-state solution on Friday 4 May, and through our financial assistance, the UK will continue to support a stable PA which can act as an effective partner for peace with Israel.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority (PA), what discussions her Department has had with the PA on an advisor to the PA President, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, saying that European Jews had a monopoly over the economy.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK strongly condemns any language or actions that could stir up hatred and prejudice. Our sustained support to the Palestinian Authority (PA) is underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding which requires the PA to commit to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and avoid actions that could incite violence or hatred. The UK continues to urge the Palestinian leadership to uphold this principle, as is demonstrated by my statement regarding President Abbas’ recent remarks at the Palestinian National Congress, which were deeply concerning. I do not believe that these remarks were consistent with the commitment to non-violence and a two-state solution which President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority have shown. President Abbas restated his commitment to the two-state solution on Friday 4 May, and through our financial assistance, the UK will continue to support a stable PA which can act as an effective partner for peace with Israel.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority (PA), what discussions her Department has had with the PA on the decision of its Ministry of Education to devote broadcasts on school radio stations to the life of terrorist Khalili Al-Wazir.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK strongly condemns any language or actions that could stir up hatred and prejudice. Our sustained support to the Palestinian Authority (PA) is underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding which requires the PA to commit to the principle of non-violence and address allegations of incitement in the education curriculum. We raise issues of incitement in the education sector in our conversations with the PA Ministry for Education and Higher Education.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2018 to Question 135640, on Palestinians: terrorism, whether the British Consul-General in Jerusalem has met with senior Palestinian representatives to discuss the decision by the Palestinian Authority to pay directly the salaries of convicted terrorists; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has not yet confirmed or announced that it will provide payments to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails directly. The British Consul General in Jerusalem met with Saeb Erekat, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), on April 27th and directly raised the issue. The Secretary of State also raised her concerns about payments to prisoners when she last met with the Palestinian Foreign Minister and I will be raising them with the Finance Minister later this month, calling for the payments to be transparent, needs based and affordable.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Middle East of 18 April 2018, Official Report, column 309, how and by whom spending is audited to ensure that there is no diversion to fund terrorist tunnels or other terrorist activity.
Answered by Alistair Burt
DFID has a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and has robust controls against the diversion of aid including towards terrorist activity. These include extensive due diligence of partners, mapping the flow of our funds and where required, tight earmarking of funds. DFID’s project spending in the OPTs is subject to annual, independent financial audit. The overall programme is also subject to the regular audit cycle of DFID's Internal Audit Department and the National Audit Office. DFID complies with UK and international counter terrorism legislation and our funding agreements commit partners to understand and comply with international counter terrorism legislation.