Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-04-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the action being taken, and by whom, to prevent life-threatening consequences arising from the closure of the Gaza power plant.

Baroness Verma

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the closure of the Gaza power plant has triggered electricity blackouts of 12-18 hours per day. The electricity shortage, combined with the lack of affordable fuel, has resulted in a further reduction in the water supply to households and reduction in wastewater treatment and quality of sewerage discharged into the sea.

We are in regular dialogue with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and other development actors, specifically the EU and UN, on the extension of the 161 power line and conversion of the Gaza power station to gas.