Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinians who are being made homeless as a result of property demolition in the West Bank.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK Government provides emergency response to communities facing demolition and displacement in Area C and East Jerusalem through our contribution to the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). The UK Government continues to raise with the Israeli authorities at the highest level our serious concern at the increase in demolitions of Palestinian properties in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem, most recently on the 4th April 2017.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will place in the Library copies of all letters, leaflets and other material from her Department circulated to (a) stakeholders and (b) members of the public on the EU referendum; what the costs of the production and distribution of that material has been since 1 January 2016; and what she estimates the cost of any further production and distribution of such material will be between 6 May 2016 and 23 June 2016.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Copies of the Government's published documents on the Referendum are available in the Libraries of both Houses. It is not normal practice to publish letters to members of the public and stakeholders. Costs relating to the Referendum will be accounted for in the usual way in Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking ensure that UK overseas aid is spent effectively and transparently.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
As set out in the aid strategy, UK aid: tackling global challenges in the national interest, the government will ensure that every penny of money spent delivers value for taxpayers, and projects that do not will be cancelled. Departments follow good financial management principles set out in HM Treasury guidance in ‘Managing Public Money’ for all their expenditure. In addition, ODA spend is subject to scrutiny by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact. The UK Aid Strategy also commits all departments to achieving greater levels of transparency in aid spend.
DFID has robust internal processes such as strong ministerial oversight, mandatory reviews on all programmes, detailed management information for use at all levels of the organisation including on project performance and quality. Other departments will have their own arrangements and DFID will continue to share good practice advice with them.