Scottish Government Aid towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) in Gaza: FOI release

Information requested

1. Has all the money sent by Humza Yousaf 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 Humza Yousaf?

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.

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