Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Lord Hammond of Runnymede Excerpts

Monday 3rd November 2014 Ministerial Corrections

[Jonathan Reynolds]

What is the Foreign Secretary’s considered assessment of the relationship between the dependence of some of our European partners on Russian energy supplies, and the effectiveness and robustness of the sanctions that we have pursued against Russia?

[Mr Hammond]

The sanctions are robust. I think that the important relationship is between the dependence on Russian energy supplies and the robustness of the position of some of our partners on the question of maintaining those sanctions. Fortunately, the sanctions that are in place will last until March or May, depending on the type of sanction involved, before any opportunity arises to debate their renewal or otherwise. That means that, at the very least, we shall get through the winter with the sanctions in place.

[Official Report, 28 October 2014, Vol. 587, c. 164.]

Letter of correction from Mr Philip Hammond:

An error has been identified in the response I gave to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Jonathan Reynolds) during questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

The correct response should have been:

[Mr Hammond]

The sanctions are robust. I think that the important relationship is between the dependence on Russian energy supplies and the robustness of the position of some of our partners on the question of maintaining those sanctions. Fortunately, the sanctions that are in place will last until March or July, depending on the type of sanction involved, before any opportunity arises to debate their renewal or otherwise. That means that, at the very least, we shall get through the winter with the sanctions in place.