Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) feasibility and (b) risks of the RAF delivering aid through air drops to Aleppo; and if he will make a statement.

The Ministry of Defence continues to work with allies and partners to develop flexible and credible options to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Aleppo.

The use of military aircraft to deliver aid presents high risks, not only to RAF personnel and aircraft, but to those on the ground in a dense urban area like Aleppo.

If it were possible to obtain the relevant permissions from the Syrian regime, then the World Food Programme would be able to use those permissions to get a safe route for the land delivery of the aid that is so desperately needed.

For air drops to be feasible, there is a need to identify clear drop zones, ensure safe access for the intended recipients, and to co-ordinate with authorities on the ground. Without this, air drops could result in civilian casualties. Flying RAF transport aircraft into hostile terrain and through the airspace around Aleppo would expose UK personnel to a severe risk of attack.

Nonetheless, this Government continues to keep all our options under review.