Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to President Trump's announcement on 13 May 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of lifting UK sanctions on Syria.

We welcome the announcement by President Trump of the US' intention to lift sanctions on Syria and look forward to further details of the timeline and process. On 24 April, we lifted sanctions on some sectors of the Syrian economy, including trade, energy production, transport and finance. This follows the removal in March of asset freezes on 24 Syrian entities, including the Central Bank of Syria. These changes will help facilitate essential investment into Syria and underscore the UK's commitment to supporting the Syrian people to rebuild their country and economy. A stable Syria is in the UK's national interest.