Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential contribution of aid to Syria to strengthening the moderate opposition's capacity to provide governance and basic services.

The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. We have pledged over £1.1 billion to date, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. This makes us the second largest bilateral donor. Of this total, the UK has allocated £561 million to support vulnerable people inside Syria to date.

By the end of June 2015, UK support inside Syria had provided over 15.1 million food rations; access to clean water for over 1.6 million people (peak month); 2 million medical consultations; more than 4 million relief packages; and there have been over 6.9 million instances when people benefited from sanitation and hygiene activities. We are also helping those who feel safe to do so to stay in Syria by building their ability to cope, helping the moderate opposition to provide governance and essential services, and supporting the provision of education and jobs.

The UK will continue to punch above its weight in supporting the reconstruction of Syria. That is why, on 26 November, the Prime Minister signalled that the UK will commit at least £1 billion to Syria’s reconstruction in the longer term.