Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the agreement reached in Algiers on 13 October by 14 Palestinian factions to hold legislative and presidential elections within 12 months in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and in Gaza; and what plans they have, if any, to offer assistance to that end.

The Palestinian people should be allowed to enjoy their democratic rights. We urge further work towards genuine and democratic national elections for all Palestinians, which is crucial to the establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian State. To this end, we call on all Palestinian factions to seek common ground and to work together to pursue a positive and peaceful path towards democracy. We continue to encourage the Palestinian leadership to work toward strong, inclusive, accountable and democratic institutions, based on respect for the rule of law and human rights.