Information request and response under the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
1. Has all the money sent by to aid Palestine been
accounted for and how was it divided up?
2. Have any amounts been misplaced either by accident or design?
3. Did the Scottish Parliament authorise these payments or was it
totally controlled by First Minister ?
Response
In response to the first part of your question: on 14 October
2023, the Scottish Government announced that it would provide
£500,000 towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's
(UNRWA) flash appeal in response to the ongoing humanitarian
crisis in Gaza. On 2 November, a further £250,000 was pledged to
the same Appeal.
These two pledges were transferred in one payment of £750,000,
which was transferred on 29 November 2023.
In response to the second part of your question: the entire
amount of £750,000 was transferred to the UNRWA, and receipted
appropriately, according to standard Scottish Government payment
procedures. As per the terms of the agreement with UNRWA:
- The Contributions shall be administered in accordance with
UNRWA's Regulations, Rules, Organization Directives, Instructions
and any other parts of its regulatory framework, as well as its
policies, and procedures (collectively, the UNRWA Regulatory
Framework).
- UNRWA shall provide Scottish Government with the UNRWA Annual
Operational Report (AOR) for the period 1 January 2023 until 31
December 2023.
- UNRWA shall provide the UNRWA financial report and audited
financial statements for the period 1 January 2023 until 31
December 2023, submitted by the UN Board of Auditors to the UN
General Assembly, that will be available on https://www.un.org/en/auditors/board/auditors-reports.shtml
In response to the third part of your question: these funds were
approved by the Minister for Culture, Europe and International
Development, as per the standard process for Ministerial
approving funding under the Culture, Europe and International
Development portfolio. The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution,
External Affairs and Culture and the First Minister were copied
for information.
