Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in maintaining its operation after the recent reduction in funding provided by the US.

The UK is unequivocally committed to supporting Palestinian refugees across the region. Over the course of the 2017/18 financial year, the UK provided around £50 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), assisting in their provision of essential services including basic education to around 500,000 children, health services for around 3 million Palestinian refugees and supporting Palestinian refugees from Syria. The UK will deliver its next round of financial support earlier than originally planned, to help meet the growing needs of Palestinian refugees across the region. We are also working with the international community and UNRWA to explore how best to ensure the continuity of essential services to Palestinian refugees at this time.