Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2018 to Question 128740, on Syria: Armed Conflict, when the Government last raised the issue of Eastern Ghouta (a) at the UN and (b) with Russia; and what response the Government received on each such occasion.

The UK has raised the issue of Eastern Ghouta at the UN and with Russia on numerous occasions. On 5th March, the Human Rights Council, in Geneva paved a resolution introduced by the UK on the situation in Eastern Ghouta. On 27 February, Minister of State for Europe and the Americas Sir Alan Duncan met Russian Ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, stressing UK concern at the current situation in Syria, particularly the crisis in Eastern Ghouta. He urged Russia to use its influence to ensure the Syrian regime adhered to the ceasefire demanded by UN Security Council Resolution 2401 to allow rapid, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access and non-conditional medical evacuations which are urgently needed.