Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian effect of the escalation of military activity in Northern Syria; and what steps his Department is taking to help alleviate the humanitarian situation in that region.

The situation in Northeast Syria remains very fluid, and we are continually adjusting our assessment of the current impact on the humanitarian situation in the region at this stage.

The ongoing military action on the ground is having an impact on the humanitarian response. Many NGOs have already had to withdraw staff, and some have suspended activities altogether. This is very concerning, and we are discussing closely with our NGO partners and the UN. The Secretary of State has been in touch with Sir Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, and other UN officials.

We have allocated £40 million this financial year for our NGO and UN partners operating in Northeast Syria. Our funding is focused on providing vital food, water, shelter and healthcare. We have been in close dialogue with our partners to ensure that they have the flexibility to utilise this funding to meet immediate needs arising from the current military action in the region. We are assured that they do, but will keep this under review, given the fluidity of the situation and the significant access constraints for humanitarian actors on the ground.