Asked by: Lord Banner (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take, if any, in response to Meta promoting posts on Facebook in the last fortnight from verified accounts of Russian embassies, including threats to harm the UK in response to its support for Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Mackenzie of Sherwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
My Department has asked Meta to investigate these allegations. Under the Online Safety Act, regulated services must assess and mitigate the risk of illegal content and activity, including content related to the Foreign Interference Offence. Ofcom is responsible for enforcing those duties. Meta's policies prohibit direct and credible threats of physical harm, violence and incitement to violence. Decisions on whether content breaches a platform's rules are currently a matter for the platform. We expect companies to take robust action where content breaches either their legal duties or platform policies. From 2027, the largest platforms will be required to apply and enforce their published terms of service consistently and transparently.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any assessment has been undertaken of Russian influence in the Workers Party of Great Britain.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
Russia has been specified on the enhanced tier of FIRS. Individuals or entities will need to register if they are carrying out activities in the UK at the direction of the Russian state.
The Government will be publishing an annual report on the operation of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which will include, among other things, the number of registrations under both tiers, the number of information notices issued, and the number of persons charged with or convicted of offences under the scheme. The first report will be published later this year.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has his department made of the potential impact of interdicting Russian shadow fleet vessels transiting the English Channel carrying diesel bound for the United States.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 14 June, the UK interdicted the Shadow Fleet vessel SMYRTOS. Following this operation we have seen a significant diversion of Shadow Fleet vessels away from the English Channel owing to the risk of being interdicted.
Sanctions have denied Russia access to at least $495 billion since February 2022. The UK has sanctioned 640 Shadow Fleet vessels causing severe disruption, with many sanctioned tankers still unable to load or unload Russian cargo, thereby imposing additional costs on Russia's oil trade. We will not comment on future interdiction operations.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department can take through diplomatic channels to establish the whereabouts and welfare of British children believed to have been taken to Russia by a parent without the consent of the other parent.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
The Government takes International Parental Child Abduction extremely seriously. When we are made aware of a child's abduction to Russia or any other country, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will contact the relevant authorities in that country to express our official interest in court cases and social service activities, where appropriate, and we will support the left behind parent with country specific information.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the 10 Downing Street press release entitled UK government response to agreement between US and Russia: 9 October, published on 10 October 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of the agreement for the level of support Ukraine requires from the UK and its other allies.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
I refer the Hon Member to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement, made on 12 October.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to identify and counter potentially state-backed digital advertising campaigns promoting Russian citizenship and residency to people in the UK.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
This Government takes the threat of information operations from foreign states seriously. We work closely with industry, international and operational partners to identify and counter state-backed influence activity in the UK.
Whilst we do not comment on specific operational matters, we keep the threat from state-sponsored information campaigns under constant review. Where activity linked to a foreign state poses a threat to the UK’s safety or interests, the Government will use the full range of powers to detect, expose and disrupt that activity.
That is why the Prime Minister has asked security chiefs to establish a new National Centre for Information Defence (NCID) – to transform the UK’s capabilities for detecting, attributing and disrupting information attacks from foreign adversaries, to support and defend our democracy and national security.
More broadly, the National Security Act 2023 provides robust powers to tackle foreign interference, including activity conducted on behalf of a foreign state to influence UK political processes. Russia has been placed on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, increasing transparency requirements and creating further legal consequences for those who seek to conceal their links to the Russian state.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the level of threat posed by Russian and Chinese installations on Antarctica to (a) Britain's South Atlantic Islands and (b) British research presence in Antarctica.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Ministry of Defence continually monitors the global security environment and keeps potential threats to UK interests, personnel and facilities under constant review. This includes the Antarctic region where we know that both Russia and China have their own scientific research stations.
Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government what policy they have about the investigation and prosecution of British citizens returning to the UK after having (1) lawfully volunteered or for, or enlisted in, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or (2) undertaken humanitarian, medical, rescue or other volunteer work in Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice to Ukraine states: 'If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, your activities may amount to offences under UK legislation. You could be prosecuted on your return to the UK'. Their full advice is available here: Ukraine travel advice.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which acts independently of police and government, will consider any information that is referred by the police and any decision to prosecute will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
To date, the CPS has not prosecuted any British citizens for actions carried out whilst volunteering to serve in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued to police, prosecutors and border authorities about British citizens returning to the UK after having (1) lawfully volunteered or for, or enlisted in, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or (2) undertaken humanitarian, medical, rescue or other volunteer work in Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice to Ukraine states: 'If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, your activities may amount to offences under UK legislation. You could be prosecuted on your return to the UK'. Their full advice is available here: Ukraine travel advice.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which acts independently of police and government, will consider any information that is referred by the police and any decision to prosecute will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
To date, the CPS has not prosecuted any British citizens for actions carried out whilst volunteering to serve in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what lessons they have learnt following Russia’s targeting of Ukrainian energy infrastructure during the winter in 2025–26 in relation to aid provided to Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have learned the lesson that early support is vital for Ukraine's winter preparedness and therefore announced £20 million for the Ukraine Energy Support Fund in February. This will deliver equipment such as generators, energy systems, grid protection and emergency power capacity in time for this winter and brings total UK support to the Fund to £173 million since 2022. The Fund directs support to the most urgent needs across Ukraine including to Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy.
Power outages disrupt heating, water, and essential services, creating a risk of humanitarian crisis. The UK has committed almost £577 million for humanitarian support since 2022 and we continue to work with the Ukrainian authorities, UN organisations, and charities to reach the most vulnerable communities.
Finally, enhanced air defence is essential to protecting Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The UK recently announced a further £100 million for interceptors and continues to encourage other partners to follow suit.