Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of whether the Kurdish Red Crescent is able to operate freely following the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

The UK is working to ensure that aid reaches those who are most in need as quickly and efficiently as possible. We have not made an assessment of the operations of the Kurdish Red Crescent which is not currently recognised by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The UK is providing life-saving support to those in Turkey and Syria, including tents, blankets and medical equipment. In Turkey, we are supporting the Turkish Red Crescent, which has mobilised teams in over 10 affected regions. In Syria, we are primarily working through UN efforts, including via the Syria Cross Border Fund and international NGOs to make sure aid reaches those in need. Additionally, we have provided significant support to the White Helmets to support their search and rescue operations in north west Syria.