Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported findings of a UN Panel of Experts that North Korea has increased its covert assistance to a Syrian government agency responsible for producing that country’s chemical weapons and advanced missiles.

The UK is deeply concerned by any reports of sanctions evasion, or of support to illegal Syrian weapons programmes. We are aware of the media reports and will be examining closely the findings of the UN Panel of Experts once its report has been published. The UK strongly condemns North Korea's illegal weapons programmes and proliferation activities. We are fully committed to ensuring the effective implementation of sanctions and exports controls, including on North Korea, and urge all others to do so.

We condemn all use of chemical weapons under any circumstances in Syria or anywhere else. The UK helped push for 16 new EU sanctions against individuals and entities linked to chemical weapons use in Syria following the Asad regime's sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun. We are concerned by continuing allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria, and we continue to support a robust international response to identify and hold to account all those responsible for such chemical attacks.