Campbell asks if UK is funding terrorists

International Development Minister Des Swayne denied the Government is inadvertently funding terrorism in Palestine after he was pressed on the matter by DUP MP Gregory Campbell.

The East Londonderry MP has also called UK ally and trade partner Saudi Arabia out on its closed door policy to Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

In relation to fuelling terrorism, Mr Campbell asked: “What recent checks have the Government made in relation to support offered in the West Bank to moneys that end up in the coffers of terrorist-supporting groups on the West Bank?”

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Mr Swayne replied: “Absolutely none of UK British aid, multilateral or bilateral, ends up in the hands of terrorists.”

Elsewhere, during an exchange with Green MP Caroline Lucas, Mr Campbell asked why Saudi Arabia is not pulling its weight in terms of refugees.

Mr Gregory Campbell said: “She talks about neighbouring countries, a number of which have been exceptionally generous with their land, people and resources in taking in refugees.

“Does she agree that the one stark exception to that has been Saudi Arabia - a considerably large country with a relatively small population - which has taken a grand total of no refugees?”

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Ms Lucas replied: “It is shameful that a country with such a huge amount of resources locally is not taking its fair share of refugees. Elsewhere, in comparison, Jordan is hosting more than 600,000 Syrians, while Iraq and Egypt are supporting 245,000 and 118,000 refugees from the conflict respectively.”