Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench) on Wednesday, 15 January 2020, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 January 2020. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Wednesday, 22 January 2020 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Syria: Sanctions

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to seek evidence on whether the existing sanctions on Syria impede the reconstruction of essential civilian infrastructure and services.

Answer: We keep our Syria sanctions under regular review and actively seek to minimise their impact on ordinary Syrians, engaging regularly with non-governmental organisations to understand the practical impact of the sanctions on the population. Exemptions and licences already apply to the sanctions regime in order to minimise any detrimental effects on ordinary Syrians. The sanctions are aimed at ending the violent repression of the civilian population in Syria by the Assad regime and pressing the regime to engage seriously with the political process.

Secondary information