To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the significance of the role currently being played by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and the World Food Programme in Gaza.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) plays a vital role in delivering essential services to the approximately 1.1 million registered Palestinian refugees in Gaza, comprising over 70 per cent of the entire Gazan population. Services delivered by UNRWA in Gaza include education and vocational training, healthcare, relief and social services, microcredit, job creation and emergency assistance.

The World Food Programme (WFP) provides crucial support to tackle the high level of food insecurity in Gaza, where over 50 per cent of the population is food insecure. In 2012, WFP will provide assistance to over 285,000 people in the Gaza Strip through its food distribution, school meal and food voucher schemes, enabling them to secure access the basic food items they need to survive.