Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has made to provide humanitarian support for a potential increase in Palestinian refugees across the Middle East as a result of the recent violence in Gaza.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We are not aware of an increase in the number of internally displaced persons within Gaza, or an increase in the number of refugees in the region, as a result of the recent violence on the Israel-Gaza border. However, more than 22,500 people remain displaced in Gaza since the 2014 conflict.
The UK is a long term supporter of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) which supports Palestinian refugees across the region, including those displaced in Gaza, through the provision of: basic education to around 500,000 children; health services for around 3 million Palestinian refugees; social assistance for approximately 280,000 of the poorest Palestinian refugees; and a source of income for almost 30,000 refugees working for UNRWA. The UK will deliver its next round of financial support earlier than originally planned to meet the growing needs of Palestinian refugees across the region.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking in the preparation of its Voluntary National Review of progress against the Sustainable Development Goals to secure the active involvement of local authorities and civil society organisations.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Government is committed to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) both at home and internationally. Achieving the SDGs will require effort by governments, civil society, local authorities, the private sector and many others.
We are pleased to be able to present a Voluntary National Review at the UN in 2019 to showcase the UK’s work to deliver the SDGs and learn lessons from others. The Government will ensure that a wide range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society organisations and local authorities, have an opportunity to contribute to the review.