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Division Vote (Lords)
19 Jan 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - View Vote Context
Lord West of Spithead (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 156 Labour No votes vs 1 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 235 Noes - 164
Division Vote (Lords)
19 Jan 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - View Vote Context
Lord West of Spithead (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 155 Labour No votes vs 1 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 232 Noes - 160
Division Vote (Lords)
19 Jan 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - View Vote Context
Lord West of Spithead (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 154 Labour No votes vs 1 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 216 Noes - 161
Written Question
Type 45 Destroyers
Monday 19th January 2026

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 18 December 2025 (HL13064), whether only one Type 45 destroyer in the Royal Navy is operational.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Type 45 destroyers HMS Dauntless, Dragon and Duncan are operational.

Type 45 Power Improvement Project upgrades remain on target and Class availability is maximised to ensure that the Royal Navy has been able to fulfil all of its operational commitments.


Written Question
Russia: Sanctions
Thursday 15th January 2026

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of tankers owned by individuals outside Russia which are acting as part of the shadow fleet by transporting sanction-breaking oil shipments.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK has now sanctioned 545 ships under its Russia sanctions regulations. Russian oil cargoes carried on ships specified by the UK in the first half of 2025 dropped off by an estimated 28 per cent and were worth approximately $4.5 billion less, comparing prior cargoes to the three months post-specification. Establishing a shadow fleet, including replacing capacity lost to UK and partner sanctions has cost Russia at least $14 billion. Russia's oil export revenues are now at their lowest since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At the start of last month (December 2025), nearly 180 million barrels of Russian oil were sitting in tankers undelivered - up 28 per cent since August 2025.


Written Question
Russia: Sanctions
Thursday 15th January 2026

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the monetary value to Russia of sanction-breaking oil carried in the shadow fleet.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK has now sanctioned 545 ships under its Russia sanctions regulations. Russian oil cargoes carried on ships specified by the UK in the first half of 2025 dropped off by an estimated 28 per cent and were worth approximately $4.5 billion less, comparing prior cargoes to the three months post-specification. Establishing a shadow fleet, including replacing capacity lost to UK and partner sanctions has cost Russia at least $14 billion. Russia's oil export revenues are now at their lowest since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At the start of last month (December 2025), nearly 180 million barrels of Russian oil were sitting in tankers undelivered - up 28 per cent since August 2025.


Written Question
Russia: Shipping
Thursday 15th January 2026

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of ships in the Russian shadow fleet.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK has now sanctioned 545 ships under its Russia sanctions regulations. Russian oil cargoes carried on ships specified by the UK in the first half of 2025 dropped off by an estimated 28 per cent and were worth approximately $4.5 billion less, comparing prior cargoes to the three months post-specification. Establishing a shadow fleet, including replacing capacity lost to UK and partner sanctions has cost Russia at least $14 billion. Russia's oil export revenues are now at their lowest since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At the start of last month (December 2025), nearly 180 million barrels of Russian oil were sitting in tankers undelivered - up 28 per cent since August 2025.


Division Vote (Lords)
14 Jan 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - View Vote Context
Lord West of Spithead (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 162 Labour No votes vs 1 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 278 Noes - 176
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 14 Jan 2026
Boarding of Sanctioned Vessels

"My Lords, we effectively run global merchant shipping from London. We have the best Merchant Navy-type lawyers in the world in London, and it is quite clear that these ships can be boarded and it is legal to do it. We already have people trained to conduct such operations. Indeed, …..."
Lord West of Spithead - View Speech

View all Lord West of Spithead (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Boarding of Sanctioned Vessels

Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 12 Jan 2026
Iran: Protests

"My Lords, when I was First Sea Lord, I tended to send warships towards the sound of the guns. If things go wrong in Iran, as it looks as if they might well do, the whole of that region will be in great difficulty and trouble. We currently have one …..."
Lord West of Spithead - View Speech

View all Lord West of Spithead (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Iran: Protests