Oral Answers to Questions

Dehenna Davison Excerpts

Tuesday 8th March 2022 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Dehenna Davison (Bishop Auckland) (Con)]

1. What recent legislative steps her Department has taken to help strengthen the sanctions regime against Russia.

[Virginia Crosbie (Ynys Môn) (Con)]

2. What recent legislative steps her Department has taken to help strengthen the sanctions regime against Russia.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dehenna Davison]

A huge number of Bishop Auckland residents have contacted me expressing their concerns about the ongoing situation in Ukraine, so I am grateful to hear about the Foreign Secretary’s robust action. Following the amendments to our sanctions regime yesterday through the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill, does she agree that that will allow us to hit Putin’s allies harder and faster?

[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend is right. Amendments from the House of Lords to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 made it cumbersome and slow for us to sanction those individuals. They included making unlimited damages available to those individuals as well as requiring an impact test under the Human Rights Act. Yesterday’s Bill removes all of that, which means that by 15 March we will be able to sanction hundreds of individuals.