Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they recognise the Palestinian Authority as the government of Palestine and Mahmoud Abbas as its leader; and what assessment they have made of the constitutional legitimacy of Mahmoud Abbas' Presidency.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK recognised the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025. We work closely with the Palestinian Authority and engage regularly with President Abbas. We recognise the Palestinian Authority as the governing authority in Palestine and maintain a close relationship with it. Strengthening Palestinian governance is essential to continue building the institutional foundations of a viable two-state solution.

We have expressed regret at the postponement of Palestinian Authority elections - Joint statement on the postponement of Palestinian elections: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-the-postponement-of-palestinian-elections

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 October 2025 (HL10877), whether they still regard ending the Palestinian Authority's payments to prisoners and to the families of those killed while carrying out attacks against Israelis as a precondition for full diplomatic relations with a Palestinian state; and what assessment they have made of the statement made by a released Palestinian prisoner, Khaled Abu Amsha, on official Palestinian Authority television that ending such payments would undermine recruitment to future attacks against Israelis.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

A reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is essential to long-term stability in the region and progressing towards a two-state solution. We welcome the Palestinian Authority's commitment, underlined in the UK-PA Memorandum of Understanding, to reform prisoner payments so that welfare payments are based on needs and not linked to acts of violence. The audit has been completed. We await full publication of the audit so that this can be verified.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 October 2025 (HL10877), what assessment they have made of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission's ruling that Palestinian Authority employees must resign their posts and forfeit their salary to stand as candidates in local elections, while those receiving payments as prisoners or as wounded persons are exempt from that requirement and may continue receiving those payments while standing for and holding public office.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

A reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is essential to long-term stability in the region and progressing towards a two-state solution. We welcome the Palestinian Authority's commitment, underlined in the UK-PA Memorandum of Understanding, to reform prisoner payments so that welfare payments are based on needs and not linked to acts of violence. The audit has been completed. We await full publication of the audit so that this can be verified.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 October 2025 (HL10877), what assessment they have made of the statement by the Fatah spokesman in the Gaza Strip, Mundhir Al-Hayek, that the Palestinian Authority has not stopped paying salaries to prisoners and to the families of those killed while carrying out attacks against Israelis, and that these payments are being routed to recipients in Gaza through arrangements involving powers of attorney.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

A reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is essential to long-term stability in the region and progressing towards a two-state solution. We welcome the Palestinian Authority's commitment, underlined in the UK-PA Memorandum of Understanding, to reform prisoner payments so that welfare payments are based on needs and not linked to acts of violence. The audit has been completed. We await full publication of the audit so that this can be verified.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of (1) the measures taken by the government of Israel in response to the sanctions they imposed on settlements in the West Bank, and (2) those sanctions on Palestinian workers in the settlements.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The response of the Government of Israel to the sanctions announced on 8 September by the Foreign Secretary is deeply regrettable. The measures taken will target illegal settlement activity, violence and extremism. Palestinian businesses will continue to benefit from preferential trade arrangements. Our focus is on ensuring we can continue our diplomatic work and support efforts towards a two-state solution. The UK will continue acting in line with our values, and keeps all our sanctions regimes and their impact and effectiveness under review. We will update the House further on these measures.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 October 2025 (HL10875), whether they will now answer the question put, namely who they recognise as the government of Palestine and where it is located.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK formally recognised the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025. The UK recognises Palestinian statehood over provisional borders, based on the 1967 lines subject to agreed land swaps, to be finalised through future negotiations. The UK remains of the firm view that the two-state solution is the best means to secure lasting peace, security and prosperity for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 October 2025 (HL10876), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what boundaries they recognise for the state of Palestine.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK formally recognised the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025. The UK recognises Palestinian statehood over provisional borders, based on the 1967 lines subject to agreed land swaps, to be finalised through future negotiations. The UK remains of the firm view that the two-state solution is the best means to secure lasting peace, security and prosperity for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 October 2025 (HL10877), what conditions relating to the cessation of the Palestinian Authority's payments to prisoners and to the families of those killed while carrying out attacks against Israelis are attached to (1) the £101 million support package provided under the UK–Palestinian Authority Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation of 28 April 2025, and (2) the recognition of a Palestinian state; and what assessment they have made of whether those conditions have been met.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

A reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is essential to long-term stability in the region and progressing towards a two-state solution. We welcome the Palestinian Authority's commitment, underlined in the UK-PA Memorandum of Understanding, to reform prisoner payments so that welfare payments are based on needs and not linked to acts of violence. The audit has been completed. We await full publication of the audit so that this can be verified.

Question

To ask The Leader of the House when she expects Written Answers to be given to the questions asked by Baroness Deech on 7 July (HL1727 and HL1728).

Answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

Unfortunately due to an administrative error both written questions were not correctly submitted onto the online system an error which had not been noticed until the tabling of this question. The questions have now both been answered by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 21st September 2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they made of alternative delivery models, including direct commissioning from UK universities and specialist training providers, before awarding new Civil Service learning and development contracts to KPMG and EY.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The National School of Government and Public Services will provide world-class learning and development for civil servants, supporting public sector excellence and preparing our people for the future. Our new in-house delivery model will move away from reliance on professional services firms, ensuring learning is designed and delivered by civil servants for civil servants, working with the best external training providers, including universities.

In the meantime, the EY and KPMG contracts include the option of commissioning UK universities and specialist training providers to deliver training to the Civil Service.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop partnerships between the National School of Government and Public Services, UK Research and Innovation and UK universities to support research and teaching in public administration.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The National School has strong existing relationships across government and with UK universities. We currently have one embedded UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) research fellow with another UKRI-funded fellow due to start shortly. We recently launched our College of Experts at Evidence Exchange, an Economic and Social Research Council-funded project. The College of Experts is a set of academic and external experts who can bring insight to and advise on all aspects of the National School’s work. We have also published our priority research topics, a strategic framework of long-term questions where external research and evidence can most effectively inform our work.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of commissioning civil service training from universities and specialist providers instead of KPMG and EY; and whether they will publish that assessment.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer to the answer I gave on 9 October to question UIN HL2835 copied below for ease.

The National School of Government and Public Services will provide world-class learning and development for civil servants, supporting public sector excellence and preparing our people for the future. Our new in-house delivery model will move away from reliance on professional services firms, ensuring learning is designed and delivered by civil servants for civil servants, working with the best external training providers, including universities.

In the meantime, the EY and KPMG contracts include the option of commissioning UK universities and specialist training providers to deliver training to the Civil Service.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Wood of Anfield on 22 September (HL3235) and 28 September (HL3236), why the policies of engagement, solutions and compromise outlined in relation to the situations in Cyprus and Morocco are not adopted in relation to Israel and the imposition of sanctions on West Bank settlements.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK engages regularly with the Government of Israel and Palestine in support of a negotiated two-state solution. The contexts in Cyprus and Morocco are each unique scenarios that should be assessed and understood in their own contexts. Our announcement on 8 September is driven by our policy on illegal Israeli settlements and our support for the two-state solution.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wood of Anfield on 2 October (HL3532), who they recognise as the government of Palestine and where that government is located.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK recognised the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025. We did this to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people. The UK reiterates the centrality of the Palestinian Authority as the legitimate governing entity in Palestine. The UK also supports the vital work of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza as it transitions governance and security control from Hamas to the Palestinian Authority in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.

Found: Letter from Baroness Shields 9 Proposal 5: Letter from Lord Cromwell 12 Proposal 6: Letter from Baroness Deech

Found: After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH LORD WALNEY LORD MENDELSOHN _ After Clause

Found: aggravating factor. 115 Representation of the People Bill After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH

Found: aggravating factor. 107 Representation of the People Bill After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH

Found: Representation of the People Bill 90 After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH LORD WALNEY

Found: Representation of the People Bill 86 After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH LORD WALNEY

Found: After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH LORD WALNEY LORD MENDELSOHN _ After Clause

Found: After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH LORD WALNEY LORD MENDELSOHN _ After Clause

Found: Representation of the People Bill 64 After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH LORD WALNEY

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Found: After Clause 84 LORD GOODMAN OF WYCOMBE BARONESS DEECH LORD WALNEY _ After Clause 84, insert the

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Found: House, Freeland Park, Wareham Road, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6FA Patrons: Lady Cosgrove PC CBE KC, Baroness Deech