To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what decisions have been made about the eligibility for restored EU funding of Palestinian Authority employees in Gaza who were receiving allowances under the Temporary International Mechanisms before 15 June 2007. (148956)

The Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) has recently been extended until the end of September 2007. Allowances for Palestinian Authority (PA) workers for the month of June were paid during the week commencing 2 July 2007. Workers in both the West Bank and Gaza were paid.

On 18 June, EU Foreign Ministers discussed the resumption of assistance to the PA. They concluded that the EU should urgently pursue options for direct practical and financial assistance. Further TIM payments, targeting the same beneficiaries, will form part of this assistance.

The EU has not yet decided on other means for delivering aid. The UK will press to ensure that any new EU aid meets the needs of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2007 to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson), Official Report, columns 184-85W, on Palestinians: international assistance, how many of the 71,000 Palestinian authority employees receiving allowances under the temporary international mechanism received them in (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank. (148974)

Of the 77,000 Palestinian Authority workers and pensioners receiving allowances under the Temporary International Mechanism, about 47,000 live in the West Bank and 30,000 in Gaza.