Humanitarian Crisis: Syria
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2. What discussions she has had with the Secretary
of State for Defence on ensuring that the Government’s
operations in Syria help to alleviate the humanitarian
crisis in that country. [900364]
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I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State
for Defence and other ministerial colleagues in response
to the conflict in Syria, and of course we are doing more
on the humanitarian side as well.
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Will the Secretary of State tell us what measures her
Department is taking to ensure that civilians are able to
leave Raqqa safely, and what information it is giving
them on escape routes?
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The hon. Lady highlights the terrible situation of the
mass conflict involved in the recapturing of Raqqa. The
regional support that we are providing includes medical
supplies, food and shelter—all the basics that people in
the region need. She asks specifically about information.
We are working with our partners on the ground, who are
working in very challenging situations, to give them
information and guidance as to where the safe places are
for them to go.
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Order. We might not reach the question tabled by the hon.
Member for Banbury (Victoria Prentis), so if she wants to
come in now, she can, although it is not obligatory.
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7. How kind! May I use this opportunity to thank
you, Mr Speaker, for your support for Singing for
Syrians? I also thank the Department for International
Development for its support. As a result of all the
support we have received from across the House, Singing
for Syrians is now able to support not only medical aid
in Syria but a school for disabled children. Does my
right hon. Friend the Secretary of State agree that aid
is always worth more when it is spent in the region, and
that what the people caught up in this terrible conflict
really want is to be able to stay as close to home as
possible? [900369]
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I congratulate her
and everyone else who has been involved in Singing for
Syrians. It is an incredible charity, and I commend her
for her work. She is right to highlight the fact that
providing support in region is what makes a difference in
terms of changing and saving lives. We have led the way
in this. The United Kingdom has spent more than £2.46
billion in Syria and the region, providing hope and
opportunity to those who have been displaced through
conflict.
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It is quite obvious that senior Ministers in the
Government wish to expand this conflict to target actors
other than Daesh in Syria. Has the Secretary of State
made an assessment of what that would mean for her
Department on the ground, and is she being the voice of
reason in cautioning against expanding the conflict?
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It is wrong to suggest that we are expanding any conflict
at all. The focus of this Government, particularly from
the humanitarian perspective, is to ensure that UK aid
goes to the people who are suffering as a result of the
bleak situation on the ground right now. Of course we are
working across Government and with our partners in the
region and our international partners to bring hope where
there is despair and, importantly, to end the conflict.
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13. Before the conflict, about 11% of the Syrian
population were Christians. The Government rightly have a
programme to admit refugees from the camps on
humanitarian grounds, but in the early stages of the
programme, many Christians would not go to the camps
because of intimidation. Can my right hon. Friend assure
me that, when the Government admit refugees for very good
reasons, a fair proportion of them will be
Christians? [900375]
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My hon. Friend makes an important point. We are
prioritising reaching the most vulnerable people across
Syria, including Christians, and UK funding is
distributed on the basis of ensuring that civilians are
not discriminated against on the basis of race, religion
or ethnicity.
