Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the speech by the United States Secretary of State on 17 January, in which he referred to "stabilization initiatives" in liberated areas of Syria; and whether UK military personnel seconded to the Coalition are involved in such initiatives, either in the field or at Coalition headquarters.

We welcome the US's ongoing commitment to Syria. The UK will continue to work closely with the US government as part of the Global Coalition, to ensure the lasting defeat of Daesh by preventing the conditions which led to its emergence. In areas liberated from Daesh, the UK is making a significant humanitarian contribution to help meet the immediate needs of the population, for example through supporting de-mining work and the provision of life-saving medical care. At the same time it is important that locally legitimate and inclusive governance is established in these areas. UK military personnel are present in Coalition HQs which support counter-Daesh operations, of which post-conflict stabilisation is a vital part.