Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2019 to Question 261075, whether the wages of any UK-funded Palestinian Authority public servants have been reduced as a result of Palestinian Authority spending cuts.

DFID officials are aware that the Palestinian Authority (PA) has begun to make partial salary payments to public sector officials earning 2,000 NIS (£425) or above a month and can confirm that this includes health and education sector public servants whose salaries are funded through UK aid. The UK continues to support a stable PA which can act as an effective partner for peace with Israel. UK aid to the PA’s health and education sectors is used exclusively to pay the salaries of vetted health and education public servants, including teachers, doctors and nurses, in the West Bank. The EU vets the list of PA health and education sector employees before every disbursement of financial aid to ensure only eligible beneficiaries receive UK aid, at a range of grades based on the PA payroll system. These payments are then independently audited. The PA’s decision to make partial salary payments to public sector officials does not affect the robust financial safeguards that ensure UK financial aid reaches its intended beneficiaries.