Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the 2021-22 reduction in Overseas Development Assistance on (a) the humanitarian response, (b) health, (c) poverty alleviation, (d) food security and nutrition and (e) conflict resolution in Syria.

Following a thorough review, the FCDO's aid budget has been allocated in accordance with UK strategic priorities against the challenging financial climate of COVID. UK Aid will continue to prioritise humanitarian response and conflict resolution as part of its core priorities for poverty reduction.

The Syria crisis remains one of the UK's top priorities. The ongoing humanitarian crisis, deteriorating economic conditions, and growing food insecurity in Syria, means we must seek more sustainable, long-term solutions to increase the resilience of millions living in conflict. Last month the UK pledged at least £205 million in 2021 to continue providing life-saving and life-sustaining assistance in Syria and across neighbouring countries. This brings our total support to over £3.7 billion since 2012. The FCDO will now work through what this means for individual programmes, in line with the priorities we have outlined.