Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 October (HL11010 and HL11011), whether they will now answer the questions put.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 18 November to Question 88033, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
The Foreign Secretary met with the Palestinian Foreign Minister on 1 November. As part of their conversation they discussed educational reforms. The UK continues to monitor and advance the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on strategic cooperation through an annual strategic dialogue. In the meantime, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, through the British Consulate in Jerusalem, engage regularly with the Palestinian Authority on many areas, including education reform.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 September (HL10094), how often they will monitor the Palestinian Authority's implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation between the UK and the Palestinian Government, published on 28 April, and what methods they will use to monitor that implementation.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the statement made on the Middle East by the Prime Minister on 14 October, in which he addressed at length the issues arising from the UK's decision to recognise the State of Palestine. Any further updates will be announced in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 September (HL10094), when they expect the independent audit of the completion of the reforms in the Palestinian Authority's National Program for Development and Reform to be conducted.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the statement made on the Middle East by the Prime Minister on 14 October, in which he addressed at length the issues arising from the UK's decision to recognise the State of Palestine. Any further updates will be announced in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 September (HL10094), on how many occasions and over what time period the Palestinian Authority has committed to reform prisoner payments; how those reforms were audited; and what assessment they have made of the impact of those reforms.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
In President Abbas' letter to President Macron, dated 9 June 2025, he set out his commitment to the principles of non-violence, the organisation of elections, the development of a school curriculum that is free from incitement, and the implementation of a new social security system, which will revoke so-called prisoner payments, and ensure that any future welfare payments are needs-based and delinked from violent actions. The Palestinian Authority must now ensure that an independent audit is conducted to verify that these reforms have been completed.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of reports that the Palestinian Authority is making monthly payments to the families of Hamas fighters killed during the 7 October 2023 attacks.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
A reformed Palestinian Authority is essential to long-term stability in the region and making progress towards a two-state solution. The UK welcomes the Palestinian Authority's commitment to deliver its ambitious and necessary 'National Program for Development and Reform' in full as a matter of priority in the short, medium and long term. We welcome the important commitments made by the Palestinian Authority to reform prisoner payments so that welfare payments are needs-based and delinked from violent actions. The Palestinian Authority must now ensure an independent audit verifies that the reforms have been completed. Alongside our partners, the UK will continue to support the Palestinian Authority as it delivers its important reform agenda.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for cooperation on education between the Kurdistan region of Iraq and the UK.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK supports the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's education sector and recently hosted the Prime Minister and Minister of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government and discussed opportunities for collaboration in education. In discussions with the Secretary of State for the Department for Education we agreed to work closely to further expand our collaboration. Our Consulate in Erbil continues to identify opportunities for and work with UK institutions that offer both academic and vocational training programmes, including City and Guilds who now have established an office in Iraq.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) possibility, and (2) impact, of sanctions on Iran being lifted as part of a renegotiated Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA); and what discussions they have held with the government of the United States in relation to this.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants, and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions which would benefit the Iranian people. In exchange, Iran would reverse its nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency.