Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on the ownership of interests in UK oil and gas companies by sanctioned Russians.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
If the UK sanctions an individual, their UK assets are frozen. Sanctioned individuals cannot access frozen funds or obtain any financial benefit (including from ownership of interests in UK companies) without HMT/OFSI granting a licence.
Additionally, the National Security and Investment Act allows HMG to intervene in transactions that threaten national security.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 July (HL93), which countries they have sanctioned for providing arms to the Myanmar military.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since the start of the coup, the UK has imposed sanctions on 25 individuals and 33 entities under the Myanmar Sanctions Regulations 2021. These sanctions include a number of Russian companies, involved in supplying equipment to the Myanmar armed forces. The UK has also sanctioned individuals and entities who have facilitated weapons and equipment to the Myanmar armed forces from Russia and Belarus. We continue to keep the use of sanctions under review to reduce the Myanmar military regime's access to finance, arms and equipment.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current state of the global crude oil fleet, and (2) the number of vessels that have 'gone dark' since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport holds data on the number and type of vessels within the world fleet, and as of 31 December 2023 there were 15,700 chemical and oil tankers in the world fleet with a total deadweight tonnage of 714 million tonnes.
The Government are aware of 'going dark' activities conducted by vessels since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, it is not possible to ascertain the exact figure of 'dark vessels' or 'dark periods', as while they can be due to deceptive practices, they may also be for safety reasons in high-risk areas or arise from technical issues and GPS jamming. The Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) have established a (Russian) Maritime Sanctions Assessment Team focusing on the movements of oil tankers that are assessed to be associated with the movement of Russian oil.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax was taken on the interest accrued on Russian assets frozen in UK banks in each of the last five years.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI)’s, part of HM Treasury, announced in its 2022-2023 Annual Review that between February 2022 and October 2023, £22.7 billion in frozen funds had been reported in relation to the Russia sanctions regime. OFSI does not disclose the value held by particular designated persons and so the figure is provided as a cumulative total of assets reported.
Frozen assets are not transferred to HM Treasury and there is no change of ownership. Interest accrued on frozen assets remains subject to the asset freeze, and are to be frozen immediately by the person in possession or control of them. There is no obligation for a relevant institution to inform OFSI when it credits an account with interest and therefore OFSI does not hold this information.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the use of gas by Russia in Ukraine; and whether he plans to supply respirators to Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence continues to assess and monitor the evolving threat picture in Ukraine, including Russian use of chemicals as a method of warfare. The UK has been at the forefront of international support and assistance to the armed forces of Ukraine and has provided respirators and decontamination kits, as well as other protective measures to enhance Ukraine's protective capabilities against chemical weapons.
Our commitment to Ukraine is unwavering, we continue to work closely with our international partners to coordinate counter-CBRN support and assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the extent of relations between Hamas and Russia.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence continues to assess the international relationships of terrorist organisations on regional and global security, alongside the potential policy implications.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will join his EU counterparts in making representations to the Russian Federation over the construction of a naval base in Abkhazia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have repeatedly condemned Russia's illegal military presence and the Russification of Abkhazia, including through the proposed Russian naval base at Ochamchire, most recently in a UN Security Council Statement on the 16th Anniversary of Russia's invasion of Georgia. The UK fully supports Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, including over the breakaway territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in the face of continued hybrid aggression from Russia.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will extend UK sanctions on shadow oil tankers dealing in Russian oil to (a) those providing (i) storage facilities and (ii) fuel, (b) port operators that facilitate the docking of sanctioned vessels], (c) senior crew members operating on sanctioned vessels and (d) buyers, brokers and intermediaries that deal with sanctioned vessels and their cargo.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK sanctions against Russia aim to deny Putin the means to continue his illegal war. We have sanctioned 15 shadow oil tankers to date - action which has materially disrupted the shadow fleet's ability to operate. The UK cannot comment on future sanctions. Nevertheless, as this Government made clear when we spearheaded a "call to action" against the shadow fleet in July, we are determined to go further to address the risks the shadow fleet poses to the environment, maritime safety and security in Europe, including through further sanctions. Anyone who assists UK-sanctioned vessels, including shadow tankers, exposes themselves to significant sanctions risk.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to ban the import of oil products whose origin is derived from crude oil of Russian origin.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The action the UK and its partners have taken to limit Russian energy revenues is having a significant impact, with Russia forced to shoulder a 24% reduction in oil and gas revenues in 2023 compared to 2022. Importers of oil and oil products into the UK, as well as those seeking to access UK services to facilitate above-cap oil trades, must provide proof that goods are not of Russian origin. The UK continues to limit Russian revenues, for example through our actions to disrupt and deter Russia's 'shadow fleet'. The Government is committed to rigorously enforcing our sanctions, keeps all our sanctions under review, and will not hesitate to take further action to limit Russian revenues which fuel its war machine.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the relationship between Iran and Russia.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We continue to condemn Iran’s supply of weapons to Russia; these weapons have been used in Ukraine to target critical national infrastructure and kill civilians. In return for the funds and operational feedback it is receiving in this deal, Iran will be able to expand its defence-industrial base and further proliferate weapons throughout the Middle East. The Ministry of Defence is working with a range of partners to identify and expose this relationship and hold both Iran and Russia to account. Meanwhile, we continue to assess the implications of this relationship on regional and global security and that of the safety of our Armed Forces.