House of Lords written question – answered at on 26 January 2012.
Lord Judd
Labour
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.
Baroness Northover
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip), Lords Spokesperson (Department for International Development)
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.
Yes2 people think so
No2 people think not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.
The house of Lords is the upper chamber of the Houses of Parliament. It is filled with Lords (I.E. Lords, Dukes, Baron/esses, Earls, Marquis/esses, Viscounts, Count/esses, etc.) The Lords consider proposals from the EU or from the commons. They can then reject a bill, accept it, or make amendments. If a bill is rejected, the commons can send it back to the lords for re-discussion. The Lords cannot stop a bill for longer than one parliamentary session. If a bill is accepted, it is forwarded to the Queen, who will then sign it and make it law. If a bill is amended, the amended bill is sent back to the House of Commons for discussion.
The Lords are not elected; they are appointed. Lords can take a "whip", that is to say, they can choose a party to represent. Currently, most Peers are Conservative.
