Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will urge the government of the United States to use its Al Tanf airbase in Syria to provide assistance to the thousands of displaced persons living in the Rukban Camp; and whether they will call on the governments of Syria and Jordan to help.

The UK remains immensely concerned by the ongoing situation in the Rukban camp. We have continued to publicly highlight the need for sustained humanitarian access to reach the estimated 41,000 people in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

Aid delivered by road, by trusted humanitarian partners, including the UN and other NGO partners, is assessed as the best way to deliver aid to hard-to-reach areas such as the Rukban camp. We welcomed the successful interagency convoy that delivered life-saving aid to the camp last month. It is crucial that this is not viewed as a one-off event. We urge the Assad regime and its allies, in the strongest possible terms, to ensure there is now regular humanitarian access to the camp. We also welcome Jordan’s support in providing water to Rukban; maintaining access to the UN clinic in Rukban; and assisting with emergency medical cases.