Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international allies to help bring greater stability to Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Alongside international allies, we have consistently advocated for an inclusive, representative political transition which respects the rights of all Syrians. This is essential for long-term stability and peace. The former Foreign Secretary discussed this with President al Sharaa and Foreign Minister al Shaibani when he visited Damascus in July. I discussed progress on the political transition, including next steps on security and accountability, with the Foreign Minister and Justice Minister during my recent visit. We are also supporting economic recovery through sanctions lifting and livelihoods and education programmes. We will continue to support the Syrian Government to deliver its commitments to build a more stable, free and prosperous future for all Syrians. A stable Syria is important for regional stability and is firmly in the UK's interest.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the UK is taking (a) on its own and (b) with international counterparts to improve the rights of Women and Girls in Afghanistan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government condemns the Taliban's appalling repression of Afghan women and girls, and officials regularly raise those issues, and other priorities, most recently in July. In parallel, we continue to engage directly with a range of Afghans to inform and shape our policy and programmes.

Working both bilaterally and multilaterally with international partners, the UK Government is committed to sustaining collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhumane restrictions. Upholding human rights and gender equality is not only a moral imperative, but essential for building a stable, inclusive, and prosperous country for all Afghans.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international allies to help bring greater stability to Lebanon.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK works with many international allies to support stability in Lebanon. In August, the UK supported the renewal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's mandate alongside other international partners. The UK lobbied other UN Security Council members to ensure that the mission is able to continue its operations in Southern Lebanon for a further 16 months, ahead of a 12-month draw-down period.

In September, the UK will convene allies via the Military Technical Committee, to coordinate international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces as the only legitimate armed force in Lebanon. The UK will also coordinate with our international allies when considering how best to support the Government of Lebanon's efforts to disarm non-state actors, including Lebanese Hizballah. The Foreign Secretary discussed this, and the broader situation in the Middle East, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 2 September.