Asked by: Ivan Lewis (Independent - Bury South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether funds from the planned £700 million empowerment fund will be depressed through a competitive tendering process.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The Empowerment Fund, which is expected to consist entirely of Official Development Assistance funding, is currently under development. Details of the Fund, including governance and oversight arrangements, will be announced to Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Ivan Lewis (Independent - Bury South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether funds from the planned £700 million empowerment fund will be subject to oversight by the National Security Council.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The Empowerment Fund, which is expected to consist entirely of Official Development Assistance funding, is currently under development. Details of the Fund, including governance and oversight arrangements, will be announced to Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Ivan Lewis (Independent - Bury South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, from which budget the planned £700 million empowerment fund will be allocated; and whether those funds will be counted as Official Development Assistance.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The Empowerment Fund, which is expected to consist entirely of Official Development Assistance funding, is currently under development. Details of the Fund, including governance and oversight arrangements, will be announced to Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Ivan Lewis (Independent - Bury South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the Palestinian Authority's commitment to equality for LGBT people in the Palestinian territories; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We are deeply concerned about the treatment of the LGBT community in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), particularly in Gaza where they are subject to widespread social discrimination for cultural and religious reasons. Homosexuality remains a taboo subject in the OPTs. In some places, such as Ramallah, these taboos are relaxed, but in more conservative areas the situation is very challenging. There are no laws protecting LGBT people, although we are not aware of any recent legal cases targeting the LGBT community.
Asked by: Ivan Lewis (Independent - Bury South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support free and fair elections in the West Bank and Gaza.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We continue to call on the Palestinian leadership to work towards genuine and democratic elections for all Palestinians. Strong, inclusive and democratic institutions, based on respect of the rule of law and human rights, are crucial elements in establishing a viable and sovereign Palestinian State. Our Consulate General in Jerusalem has regularly discussed the local elections with senior Palestinian ministers and officials over the past months. Following the postponement of the elections, we have continued to urge all sides to make efforts to hold genuine and democratic local elections in the West Bank and Gaza in accordance with the law.
Asked by: Ivan Lewis (Independent - Bury South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to work with the Palestinian Authority to promote gender equality in the Palestinian territories.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer of 24 October 2016 (PQ 48760).
Asked by: Ivan Lewis (Independent - Bury South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote good governance by the Palestinian Authority.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I refer the Hon. Member to my reply to the Rt Hon. Member for Enfield North (Joan Ryan) of 24 October 2016 (PQ 48772).