Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment the Government has made of options for the return of UK nationals detained in North East Syria to be charged and prosecuted in the UK.

​We wish to see those who have fought for or supported Daesh in Iraq or Syria, whatever their nationality, brought to justice for their crimes in accordance with due legal process in the most appropriate jurisdiction. If a UK national returns from Syria, it is for the police and Crown Prosecution Service to decide if they should be prosecuted, which is a decision partly based on the available evidence. Individuals can be convicted in UK courts of offences committed overseas (including preparation of terrorism, encouragement of terrorism and membership of a proscribed organisation). However, for crimes committed in Daesh-held territory in Syria it can be extremely difficult to obtain evidence that would be admissible in a UK court.