Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the resurgence of the Islamic State group in (a) Syria and (b) Iraq.

Ensuring the defeat of Daesh and countering the terrorist threat posed in Syria, Iraq and beyond is a core priority for the UK Government. While Daesh no longer holds territory and their assets have been substantially degraded, we cannot be complacent. The recent attack on Ghwaryan prison in North East Syria, along with attacks in Iraqi provinces, underline the continuing threat Daesh poses both to the UK and regional stability, and thus the ongoing importance of the Global Coalition Against Daesh mission. The UK remains fully committed to working with our partners to ensure Daesh's global defeat.

We condemn atrocities committed by Daesh against civilians and welcome efforts to bring Daesh to justice. We have contributed £2 million to the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL (UNITAD), to gather evidence of Daesh crimes in Iraq. Since 2012, we have also provided over £14 million in support of Syrian and international efforts to gather evidence and assist victims of human rights abuses and violations, including championing the work of the IIIM (International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism).