Syria
International Development
Douglas Alexander (Paisley and Renfrewshire South, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much official development assistance has been provided by his Department for humanitarian work in Syria; and what assessment he has made of the proportion of such assistance that reaches the people who most need it.
Alan Duncan (Minister of State, International Development; Rutland and Melton, Conservative)
UK support to humanitarian agencies working in Syria will provide emergency medical services and supplies for injured civilians, food rations for over 20,000 people, essential household items for 5,500 people forced to leave their homes, emergency drinking water for 2,750 people, and restoration of damaged water and sanitation infrastructure to ensure access to safe water for over 30,000 people. The UK is also supporting UN efforts to help make food available for up to 1.7 million people caught up in the ongoing violence in Syria, as well as vital medical care. UK support amounts to £4.5 million of official development assistance.
We are supporting those organisations which are working to get aid to the people most in need in Horns and other areas. However, humanitarian agencies continue to face restrictions on their access in Syria, which limits their ability to deliver aid to all areas and assess the full extent of humanitarian needs. That is why we continue to call on the Syrian regime to immediately put in place a robust arrangement which allows all impartial humanitarian organisations working in Syria unhindered access so they can get on with helping people in desperate need, without interference or threat of violence.
