Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian situation in Kurdish-controlled northern Syria.

The humanitarian situation in northern Syria is varied. Needs are most acute in the north-east and include food, water, shelter, medical supplies and basic sanitation. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and explosive remnants of war continue to pose a threat.

Through its partners, DFID has stepped up its support to internally displaced people and host communities where access allows. This includes providing food, water and winter kit supplies, sanitation support, resupplying damaged health facilities, and education on the risks of mines. The UK continues to call on all parties to protect civilians, and enable unhindered access to all affected areas across Syria.