Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that aid can continue to be provided to Aleppo should the conflict in that city resume.

DFID-funded UN and humanitarian partners are assessing and responding to needs in east Aleppo city and have increased their activities in the west of the city to support those displaced there from the east. This is in addition to ongoing work to support the existing 350,000 displaced persons already in west Aleppo city.

The UN assesses that the security situation in the city is stable, but we will continue to monitor this closely and scale up our response if necessary. We are working with our partners to ensure that they have effective contingency plans in place for any deterioration. As part of this work, they now have substantial contingency stocks of food available inside Aleppo City, and could quickly mobilise further stocks if required at short notice.