Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office written question – answered at on 17 September 2025.
John Grady
Labour, Glasgow East
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international allies to help bring greater stability to Syria.
Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Alongside international allies, we have consistently advocated for an inclusive, representative political transition which respects the rights of all Syrians. This is essential for long-term stability and peace. The former Foreign Secretary discussed this with President al Sharaa and Foreign Minister al Shaibani when he visited Damascus in July. I discussed progress on the political transition, including next steps on security and accountability, with the Foreign Minister and Justice Minister during my recent visit. We are also supporting economic recovery through sanctions lifting and livelihoods and education programmes. We will continue to support the Syrian Government to deliver its commitments to build a more stable, free and prosperous future for all Syrians. A stable Syria is important for regional stability and is firmly in the UK's interest.
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
