Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the inadvertent use of Libyan financial assets for the funding of militias in that country.

Funding of militias by the Libyan Government dates from the immediate aftermath of the 2011 revolution. The ongoing conflict has made it difficult for subsequent governments to regularise the situation. We welcome the announcement that the Libyan political dialogue members are expected to sign the Libyan Political Agreement. A ceasefire will be essential in order for a Government of National Accord (GNA) to operate. It will be crucial for the new GNA to quickly integrate supportive militias into a regularised national budgetary and security framework.

As underlined at the Rome Conference on 13 December, the United Kingdom stands ready with our international partners in supporting a new Government of National Accord in restoring stability, including economic, technical and security assistance, as requested.