Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what level of assistance his Department has provided to rebels in Syria; what form such support has taken; and what steps he is taking to prevent its misuse.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We have provided more than £20 million this year to support the moderate opposition, including the National Coalition who we recognise as the sole legitimate representatives of the Syrian people. In May this year the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), laid a written ministerial statement before Parliament announcing the lifting of the temporary hold on gifting to the Supreme Military Council and the intention to resume delivery of £1 million of non-lethal equipment as soon as is practical. Recipients of this assistance have been carefully selected to prevent equipment being given to those involved in extremist activities or human rights violations. The UK is not supplying weapons to anybody in Syria.
The equipment we provide, including to the armed opposition groups, has undergone intense scrutiny to ensure that we are providing the best possible support and that we meet all our national and international obligations. The equipment has been scrutinised to ensure its provision is consistent with export controls under the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and EU restrictions on the provision of goods to Syria (as agreed by Member States on 27 May 2013).
We have also supported the opposition’s political umbrella group, the National Coalition, with advisory and practical support. This has included strategic communications advice, and advice on internal governance arrangements. We have also supported the National Coalition’s delivery arm, the Interim Government, as they expand their plans to deliver services in opposition-held areas inside Syria. We have also funded a range of projects in support of civil society and activist groups both inside and outside Syria, which have included those documenting human rights abuses. The then Foreign Secretary announced in May that we would spend £30 million in support to the Syrian opposition and to bolster regional security.
