Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 September (HL1252), whether the UK aid given to Tamkeen has been spent in areas of northern Syria presently under the control of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham or Ahrar Al Sham; and if so, whether UK aid continues to be made available in those areas.

Tamkeen and Tatweer, its successor programme, provide support to improve the capacity and processes of Provincial and Local Councils in northern Syria. DFID has extensive controls in place to ensure that UK aid reaches those who need it and that it does not benefit extremists or terror groups, such as Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, including vetting processes to ensure such groups are not part of the councils with which we work. We actively manage the risks of operating in Syria. We stop funding to any project or sub-project where we have any concern that it could benefit proscribed groups.