Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to support Syria following the earthquakes; how much financial aid he has (a) already given and (b) plans to give to Syria; and whether financial aid for that purpose has been reprioritised from other planned projects funded through the Overseas Development Assistance budget.
The UK committed a significant package of aid, totalling over £43 million, following the devastating earthquakes. Of this, more than £28 million has supported lifesaving activities in Syria, including the search and rescue operations of the Syria Civil Defence (White Helmets), the delivery of vital items such as blankets and tents and increased funding to the UN and other trusted partners. To fund the humanitarian response, underspends across a number of different projects and geographies were re-directed at the end of the financial year. The UK will announce future funding for Syria at the Brussels VII Conference in June.