Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the last Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability assessment was conducted for Syria; how the escalation of violence affects that assessment; and what practical steps they are taking to address the escalation of violence, in particular violence targeting ethnic and religious minorities.

We continue to engage with the Syrian Government and Syrian Democratic Forces, and regional and international partners, to press for an immediate end to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and a return to negotiations in support of a sustainable political agreement.

The Foreign Secretary conveyed these messages to Syrian Foreign Minister al Shaibani on 20 January, and underlined the importance of developing a clear plan to secure control of the detention facilities and camps, and ensure the protection of Kurdish rights. We also reiterated these points at the UN Security Council on 22 January.

While we are keeping the situation in Syria under close review, we do not publicly comment on the timings or content of specific Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) assessments.