Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to encourage de-escalation in northern Syria.

We welcome the agreement for a ceasefire in north-east Syria reached by Russia and Turkey on 5 March. We have continually advocated for de-escalation in Idlib, and we will work to make the ceasefire permanent. Our priority is to end the conflict in Syria through a negotiated political settlement, in accordance with UNSCR 2254. We are active in pressing for de-escalation in Idlib, including by calling for an emergency UN Security Council discussion on 28 February. The Foreign Secretary also offered his support for Turkish efforts to secure a ceasefire in the north-west during his visit to Turkey on 3-4 March.