Asked by: Robin Millar (Conservative - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of (a) headteachers and (b) deputy headteachers at UNWRA schools in Gaza that are members of terror organisations; and whether he has had recent discussions with international counterparts on the adequacy of the governance of UNRWA in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is not aware of any headteachers or deputy headteachers currently working at UNRWA schools that are members of terror organisations. The UK takes allegations of neutrality violations extremely seriously, including any allegations related to terror organisations' involvement in UNWRA's education provision. This is something we monitor carefully in our annual assessment of UNRWA. The UK is following closely the independent review led by Catherine Colonna which is assessing the mechanisms and procedures that the Agency currently has in place to ensure neutrality.
Asked by: Robin Millar (Conservative - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote the importance of clean water and good sanitation as part of tackling covid-19 in developing countries.
Answered by Wendy Morton
With the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the UK Government rapidly increased support to hygiene programmes in developing countries. Through the Hygiene, Handwashing and Behaviour Change Coalition on COVID-19 programme, we are working in partnership with Unilever and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 37 countries to provide advice, promote hand and surface hygiene, and deliver supplies including soap and sanitiser to people in urgent need.
The UK is also helping schools worldwide to re-open safely while managing COVID-19 transmission risks. The UK Government-supported Hygiene Hub for COVID-19 has produced specific guidance on reopening schools after lockdown. The hub provides national governments, NGOs and other stakeholders with evidence-based advice and examples of best practice on hygiene and behaviour change.