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Written question asked by James Clappison (Conservative) on Tuesday, 4 February 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 11 February 2003. It was answered by Denis MacShane (Labour) on Tuesday, 11 February 2003 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the use made by the Palestinian Authority of funding supplied to it by the European Union; and what steps are taken to ensure that such aid is used for the purposes for which it is intended.- Inc ref to 21 January 2003, 398 c149-50.
Answer

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the use made by the Palestinian Authority of funding supplied to it by the European Union; and what steps are taken to ensure that such aid is used for the purposes for which it is intended. [96397] Mr. MacShane: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear on 21 January 2003, Official Report column 149, it is our assessment that EU assistance to the Palestinian Authority provides essential support, without which it is likely that it would not be able to continue operating. At the London meeting on Palestinian reform on 14 January, there was widespread recognition that the Palestinian Authority had achieved great progress in reforming the way that their financial systems operate. We attach great importance to the highest standards of financial management being adhered to in the disbursement of all EU funding and take seriously any allegations of misuse. The European Commission has in place a number of stringent monitoring and control measures in the implementation of EU financial assistance programmes and disbursements of EU monies to the Palestinian Authority. To date, the Commission has found no evidence that EU monies have been misused by the Palestinian Authority in order to finance terrorism or for anything other than their agreed purpose. The European Commission has committed itself to continuing to help the Ministry of Finance ensure proper oversight of all Palestinian Authority finances. This is a core objective of several conditions attached to EU budgetary support. A letter of 21 January 2003 from External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten to the European Parliament setting out in detail the Commission's oversight of funding to the Palestinian Authority is available on its Europa website www.europa.eu.int.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
96397; 399 c726W;399 c724W
Session
2002-03
Subjects
Fraud Palestine Middle East EU aid
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk