Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to (a) support the rights of (i) minority groups and (ii) women and girls and (b) promote religious freedoms in Syria since the appointment of an interim President on 29 January 2025.

The Foreign Secretary met interim Syrian Foreign Minister al Sheibani on 12 January and stressed the need for an inclusive political transition. In our engagement with the interim Syrian authorities, we have consistently advocated for an inclusive political process and underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all civilians, including women and religious and ethnic minorities. The UK Special Representative for Syria reiterated these points during her visit to Damascus on 29 January.