Written question asked by James Clappison (Conservative) on Wednesday, 11 February 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 February 2015. It was answered by Justine Greening (Conservative) on Thursday, 26 February 2015 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Islamic State

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department provides to religious minorities affected by the activities of ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

Answer: UK aid is reaching hundreds of thousands of vulnerable displaced people across Iraq and Syria, including those religious minorities affected by ISIL’s activities. All UK funded aid is distributed on the basis of need to ensure civilians are not discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion, or ethnicity. DFID continues to work with the UN and the international community to ensure all minorities’ rights are protected and our aid reaches those in greatest need. To date, the UK has pledged £800 million in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region, and a further £39.5 million to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq.

Secondary information