Syria Crisis: UK Response

Andrew Gwynne Excerpts

Monday 8th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

One big step forward at the conference was the stepping up of the region to provide the resourcing for humanitarian supplies to get through to people. Of course, the last three donor conferences were in the region, in Kuwait. We chose to host the conference this year, but it had substantial and significant support from the region. That is one reason we were able to reach such a record-breaking pledge.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

I echo the concerns of my right hon. Friend the Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) about the squalid conditions of some of the refugee camps not just in Syria and the region but in Europe. What assessment has the Department made of the health risks, particularly the public health risks, arising from those squalid conditions? What more can be done to alleviate the conditions in which refugees are living?

[Justine Greening]

As I said earlier, we have provided key support to refugees arriving in Europe. Most recently, we announced a £10 million fund that will enable us to provide very practical support to refugees who are having to cope with the difficult conditions the hon. Gentleman describes.