Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if her Department will take steps to improve access to water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Mr Desmond Swayne

UK officials regularly discuss the issue of water with Israeli counterparts. We continue to call for the full implementation of the relaxation of access restrictions for Gaza and, with robust monitoring, for the entry of essential items on the dual-use list to allow for rehabilitation of the water network. We also continue to press both parties to reconvene the Joint Water Committee to facilitate further approval of key projects that will improve Palestinian access to water.

Through the UN FAO, DFID has invested up to £1.24m to help vulnerable rural farmers in Area C support their families through increased incomes from agricultural production. Improved irrigation efficiency has been achieved by rehabilitation of existing water cisterns and approximately 30km of water conveyance systems.