July 2017
The Minister for Immigration, Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, recently update the House on the steps the Government is taking to support the most vulnerable Syrian refugees. You may read this statement here:
http://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-07-19/debates/73226D74-D204-4…
A new £1m fund has been announced by the Home Secretary to help refugees fleeing Syria to settle in the UK. You may read about this scheme here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-announces-1-million-t…
13th December 2016
The issue of Syria was discussed again in Parliament following an Urgent Question granted to Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP. You are able to view the Hansard of this debate here:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2016-12-13/debates/16121344000001…
The House of Commons Library has updated its briefing on the military action in Syria. You may read the most up-to-date briefing here:
http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN06995…
3rd November 2016
The Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, updated the House on the military campaign against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. You may read his statement here:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-11-03/debates/AAF55A13-C79F-…
11th October 2016
The humanitarian crisis in Syria was discussed in an emergency debate in the House of Commons granted to Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP. You may read the Hansard of this debate here:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-10-11/debates/F9DCC666-4E96-…
2nd March 2016
Yesterday in Parliament we discussed the cessation of hostilities in parts of Syria and the peace process that is now underway. Please read this Hansard Report http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm160301/debtext/160301-0001.htm#16030133000001
February 4th 2016
Here is a link to a useful briefing paper written by the House of Commons Library that sets out the actions being taken in seeking a negotiated solution in Syria: http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7392/CBP-7392.pdf
December 17th 2015
Over the past week, there has been much reporting about the extension of limited UK military action against ISIS/ Daesh from Iraq into Syria. There has been less on the efforts that the UK government is making, along with our international partners, in seeking a negotiated peace in Syria. Since 2012, there has been a political strand to efforts to end the violence in Syria, when there was a meeting at the United Nations in Geneva that produced a communiqué calling for a ceasefire, negotiations and a transitional government, and elections.
The Geneva Communiqué has formed the basis for negotiations since then but it has always been plagued by differences over who should form the transitional government and who should negotiate with whom.
The latest meetings took place in October and November in Vienna, with the inclusion of Iran for the first time. This development results largely from the success of Iran's negotiations with the world powers over its nuclear programme. On the ground, the dynamics have also changed, with Russia taking direct military action and Iran more deeply committed.
Together with a series of ISIS-linked terrorist attacks outside Syria, the latest being in Paris, these factors are giving the talks a new and different impetus, but the negotiations did not include any Syrians. The outside forces at the talks remain divided over the fate of Bashar al-Assad, which rebel groups constitute the legitimate opposition and which are terrorists. Even with those questions agreed, getting Syrians to support a political process would be difficult. However, the fact that nations who have not entered into dialogue for many years are now committed to a negotiated solution in Syria is I believe, a step in the right direction.
16th November 2015
Yesterday in Parliament, the Foreign Secretary made a statement about Syria. Please follow this link to the Hansard report of the statement and subsequent question and answer session. http://bit.ly/1m9BziP
