Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement on 19 July 2024, Official Report, column 300 on Israel and Gaza, if his Department will take steps to monitor the neutrality of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
When the Foreign Secretary announced the resumption of funding on 19 July 2024, he said that UNRWA had taken serious action in response to the appalling allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel.
The Government is confident that UNRWA is now taking action to ensure it meets the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures. £1 million of the £21 million of new UK funding will be earmarked to support UNRWA to implement the management reforms recommended by the independent Colonna review. Together with other donors, we will continue to monitor UNRWA's progress to implement the action plan. The FCDO will also continue to conduct our own annual assessment of UK funding to UNRWA.