Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Syrian refugee camps in Idlib; and what action they are taking to prevent a humanitarian crisis amongst the inhabitants in those camps.

Refugees and other forcibly displaced people are amongst the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1.2 million people in Idlib live in overcrowded camps and unable to practice social distancing or access proper healthcare or shelter.

The UK has pledged at least £300 million to the Syria Crisis for 2020, to support refugees and host communities in the region as well as humanitarian needs in Syria, including specific activities to help tackle Coronavirus in North West Syria. Funding through UN and INGO partners has already provided over 375,000 IDPs daily access to 35 litres of clean water, access to safe sanitation across 38 camps and distributed over 23,000 family hygiene kits. Our funding also includes cash assistance for refugees and IDPs. The UK is monitoring the situation in Idlib and across the whole of Syria closely, working with the UN and our humanitarian partners to respond to the outbreak and to sustain life-saving services.