Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 September (HL10094), when they expect the independent audit of the completion of the reforms in the Palestinian Authority's National Program for Development and Reform to be conducted.

I refer the Noble Lord to the statement made on the Middle East by the Prime Minister on 14 October, in which he addressed at length the issues arising from the UK's decision to recognise the State of Palestine. Any further updates will be announced in the normal way in due course.