That the Grand Committee do consider the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

Relevant documents: Instrument not yet reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments

My Lords, these regulations amend the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the UK has engaged with and supported the new Syrian Government to help to build a secure, prosperous future for all Syrians. The UK has long stood by the people of Syria and will continue to do so as they rebuild their country. The pace of change over the past year has been encouraging and the next phase of the political transition is crucial. A stable Syria is firmly in the interests of the region and the UK. This is why the Prime Minister welcomed Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa on his first visit to the UK on 31 March 2026.

On 21 April, this Government laid a statutory instrument to amend the Syria sanctions regulations. The instruments revoked specific UK sanctions measures on some sectors of the Syrian economy, namely, on gold, diamonds, precious metals and luxury goods, including automobiles. This action allows British companies to trade with and invest in these sectors in Syria. Sustained investment in these and other sectors supports both British industry and Syria’s economic recovery. This is the latest step in a series of actions designed to support Syria’s economy and allow UK business to contribute to and benefit from the country’s economic recovery.

In February 2025, shortly after the fall of the Assad regime, HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation issued a general licence allowing payments to support humanitarian delivery. This provided essential sanctions relief to Syria at a time when the country faced staggering humanitarian need and a broken economy. Then, in April 2025, this Government revoked a number of sanctions on energy, transport, financial transactions and trade. We also delisted Syrian organisations that had been used by the Assad regime to fund the oppression of the Syrian people. This included the Central Bank of Syria, Syrian Air and several energy and media companies. The UK was at the forefront of Western countries to lift sanctions on Syria, recognising that enabling the flow of investment into Syria was essential for the country’s recovery and reconstruction.

In parallel, the UK is actively engaged with British companies to understand the barriers to market entry and to support their re-entrance into the Syrian market. During his visit to London in March, Syrian President al-Sharaa joined the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa at a UK-Syria business reception, where he heard investment proposals from a range of UK firms as well as the government support for British companies wanting to invest in Syria.

The amendments made to our sanctions regime last year have allowed us to continue to use sanctions as a tool to promote peace, stability and security in Syria while encouraging respect for the rule of law and the protection of human rights. That is why sanctions remain in place on those who committed gross human rights violations by or on behalf of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The amendments that this Government have made to the Syria sanctions regime, both this year and last year, reflect the momentous changes that have taken place in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime. They support the Syrian people in rebuilding their country and economy and make sure that our regime is up to date. We keep all our sanctions regimes under close review to ensure that they are used as a responsive tool, targeting those who bear responsibility for repression and human rights abuses.

Noble Lords may rightly raise concerns about violence that has taken place in Syria since the fall of Assad, whether in the coastal areas, Sweida or the north-east. I reassure noble Lords that the UK remains committed to holding those responsible for violence against civilians in Syria to account. In December 2025, the UK sanctioned individuals and organisations involved in the coastal violence and Assad-era atrocities to hold to account perpetrators of human rights abuses. Additionally, two individuals who financially supported the Assad regime were sanctioned.

In our engagements with the Syrian Government, we consistently emphasise the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians and of a genuinely inclusive political transition. Meaningful representation of Syria’s diverse communities is critical to strengthening Syria’s social fabric and underpinning a better future for the country.

My Lords, as the Minister said, this SI amends the sanctions on Syria to allow access to UK luxury goods exports. It follows previous steps to lift sanctions on Syria following the fall of the hated Assad regime, which was responsible for appalling atrocities. Its decision to crush the peaceful pro-democracy protests in 2011 plunged Syria into a decade-long civil war that left 400,000 people dead. Half of Syria’s pre-war population was displaced as a result of the war.

In our view, the Syrian people deserve a brighter future, and we all sincerely hope that the next chapter in Syria’s story is more peaceful and prosperous than the previous one. Sadly, the road to peace and prosperity is long and hard fought. We know that Syria under the new transitional Government still faces serious challenges, including some deplorable examples of sectarian violence. I note that lifting the sanctions mentioned in this SI will mean that the UK will move forward in line with our American and European partners. We should continue to work closely with our allies to support Syria’s recovery.

On the situation in Syria today, will the Minister update the Committee on the progress being made by the transitional Government towards a democratic future for Syria? Will he also set out any assessment his department has made of the impact of the conflict in Iran and the Gulf on progress towards what we hope will be a better future for Syria?

We have discussed the very concerning examples of sectarian violence in Syria in recent months. Will the Minister say what engagement the UK has had with the Syrian transitional Government about this appalling violence? In June last year, a church in Damascus was targeted by suicide bombers thought to have been part of the IS-linked Sunni group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah. The attack killed 25 people and injured 63 others. Will the Minister say what steps the transitional Government are taking to protect Christian communities, in particular, in Syria?

Finally, what support can the international community provide to assist the transitional Government in trying to stamp out these appalling attacks? With those few questions, in general we support the proposed SI.

I thank the noble Lord for his support and those questions. I shall deal them, and if there are any outstanding matters I will deal with them by letter, if necessary.

In relation to progress in Syria, the next phase of Syria’s political transition is critical. We want to be sure that the Syrian Government ensure fair representation of diverse communities in positions of authority and consult widely on their planned next steps. This is fundamental to rebuilding and supporting Syria’s longer term transition. We are committed to that, and we were pleased to see indirect elections as a start in that direction.

With regard to the conflict in Iran, as the noble Lord will know, the President of Syria has stayed out of the conflict and kept Syria out of the conflict in Iran, and we welcome that.

On sectarian violence, which he raised, we are concerned about this, and we continue to advocate for the right to freedom of religion or belief for all in Syria. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe. There have been positive steps taken by the Syrian Government in response to the violence in Suwayda in the summer, including President al-Sharaa’s establishment of a committee to investigate the violence fully. We also noted the start of public trials of suspects linked to the violence on the Syrian coast in March. We will follow the judicial process when it resumes in December. We welcome the Syrian Government’s committee being established to investigate, and we particularly welcome the UN independent commission of inquiry being granted access to the area to monitor what is going on.

On the question of protection for the Christian communities, we have been very clear and assertive in the meetings that the Attorney-General and Minister Falconer had with the Syrian President about the crucial role of freedom of religion and belief. We recognise the importance of an inclusive future in Syria for all communities, including the Christian community. Syria is a freedom of religion and belief priority country for the UK, and we continue to use our leadership in multilateral fora to draw international attention to human rights concerns in Syria. However, we do not underestimate the challenges that we face in the transition. We particularly take account of the importance of recognising Syria’s diversity not just in relation to religion, but in relation to the Kurdish community in the north-east of Syria, which the UK Government have played an important role in supporting.

I hope I have answered the questions that the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, asked me, but if not, I am sure he will let me know. I thank noble Lords for their frank and open questions in this debate. His Majesty’s Government are committed to keeping our sanctions regulations up to date and to supporting Syria as it takes steps towards a more peaceful, prosperous and hopeful future. I hope noble Lords will agree that this is the future the Syrian people deserve. I hope and trust, therefore, that the Committee will support the regulations.

Motion agreed.