Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that aid to the Palestinian Authority does not fund radicalisation.

Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority (PA) includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and actions that could incite violence or hatred; I recently urged Palestinian Ministers to remain focused on this. UK financial aid to the PA is provided through the European Union (EU) Palestinian-European Socio-Economic Management Assistance Mechanism (PEGASE) mechanism, contributing to the salaries of vetted public servants in the health and education sectors. Only named public servants from a pre-approved EU list are eligible, and the vetting process includes screening against international and ad hoc sanctions lists designed to prevent terrorism financing.