Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reported use of flights to and from Russia via Serbia on the effectiveness of the EU-wide ban on flights in and out of Russia; and what steps she is taking to ensure that travel-based sanctions are (a) comprehensive and (b) effective.

The UK has prohibited all Russian owned, operated or chartered aircraft from entering UK airspace and landing in the UK. The EU, the US and other allies have also implemented similar flight bans to Russian aircraft. We are working with our international allies and partners, to encourage other countries to introduce similar bans.

In addition, since Russia's invasion, the UK has issued travel bans and asset freezes to over a thousand of Russia's most significant and high-value individuals, this includes 18 of Russia's leading oligarchs. The travel bans imposed by the UK and EU apply wherever the individual flies from.