Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings they have held with the new government of Syria and what steps they have taken to raise human rights concerns.

The UK engages regularly with the Syrian government to support them in taking steps that will deliver a more stable, free and prosperous future for the Syrian people. We have been clear that we expect those appointed to the new Syrian government to demonstrate a commitment to the protection of human rights. We will continue to judge them by their actions.

The Minister for the Middle East raised the importance of an inclusive political transition and the need to protect all civilians with the Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani most recently when they met in Brussels on 17 March.