Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Syria.

President Assad retains control of some key areas for the Syrian government but is losing ground to ISIL and a range of armed opposition groups across the country. Assad continues to defy the international community through his barbaric actions, including using artillery and barrel bombs against civilians, some containing chlorine.

The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria. A political transition as set out in the Geneva communique is more vital than ever. We will be working with the UN Special Envoy and others to help push forward a political process, helping create the right conditions on the ground by supporting the moderate opposition and putting Assad's regime under pressure.