Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

UK Sanctions Regime: Russia and Belarus

09 November 2023 · 5 other contributors

Opened by Andrew Mitchell Con Sutton Coldfield

UkraineEconomyForeign Affairs

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Andrew Mitchell raised concerns about uk sanctions regime: russia and belarus in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Sanctions are a critical tool in weakening Putin's war efforts and demonstrating our support for Ukraine.
  • The UK has sanctioned over 1,800 individuals and entities since Russia's full-scale invasion, freezing more than 18 billion worth of Russian assets.
  • This has led to a significant deficit in Russia's budget for 2022 and ongoing deficits in 2023 despite tax increases.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

Andrew Mitchell

Sanctions are a critical tool in weakening Putin's war efforts and demonstrating our support for Ukraine. The UK has sanctioned over 1,800 individuals and entities since Russia's full-scale invasion, freezing more than £18 billion worth of Russian assets and over 60% of the central bank’s foreign reserves. This has led to a significant deficit in Russia's budget for 2022 and ongoing deficits in 2023 despite tax increases. The UK is also targeting those who facilitate sanctioned persons hiding their assets, closing loopholes, and implementing further sanctions like banning diamond imports and ending copper, aluminium, and nickel imports from Russia.

Other contributors (5)
  • Stephen Doughty Lab Co-op Cardiff South and Penarth

    Question

    Doughty raises serious concerns about loopholes in the sanctions regime allowing materials used in military production to be exported or indirectly imported into UK markets. He also highlights the low number of penalties issued for breaches, questioning the effectiveness of enforcement compared to other allies.

    Minister reply

    Andrew Mitchell acknowledges the issues raised and will write to Doughty with specific answers on technical points. He reassures that Britain has prohibited thousands of products from being exported to Russia, including semiconductors, and advises UK businesses on identifying circumvention methods.

  • Bob Blackman Con Harrow East

    Question

    Blackman raises the issue of universities supplying technology to Iran that ends up in Russian drones used against Ukraine. He asks for an investigation and appropriate sanctions.

    Minister reply

    Mitchell acknowledges the dangers of such backdoor routes but confirms UK sanctions already prohibit a range of activities related to the movement of prohibited items, both directly and indirectly.

  • Peter Grant SNP Nottingham North

    Question

    The SNP welcomes the extension of sanctions against the Russian regime, but we still think more needs to be done. For example, are there any plans to extend the sanctions that are currently in place against Hamas and other terrorist organisations operating in the middle east? The United States has already sanctioned a number of Hamas representatives and people close to Hamas. What action do the Government intend to take in response to the Foreign Affairs Committee's report on Russia’s Wagner group, so that organisations such as Wagner and those who run them are effectively sanctioned?

    Minister reply

    We are looking at Hamas in every respect and have recently announced sanctions—both direct and indirect—against Wagner. We do not give routine updates or a running commentary on sanctions but take all potential breaches very seriously.

  • Jamie Stone Lib Dem Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

    Question

    Can I take it that His Majesty’s Government have contacted and spoken with the vice-chancellors and principals of our academic institutions to advise them how to stop intellectual knowledge getting to Russia via third parties?

    Minister reply

    We deal with all relevant areas, including academic areas, to ensure that potential breaches are fully taken into account.

Shadow Comment

Stephen Doughty

The shadow emphasises the unity in standing with Ukraine but highlights serious concerns about the effectiveness of the sanctions regime. He cites revelations that a British company continued to ship semiconductors to Russia, impacting military production. Doughty questions the existence of loopholes allowing exports and imports into UK markets for materials used in military items or indirect transfers. He also points out issues with enforcement, noting only one financial penalty issued since February 2022, a stark contrast to other countries like the US.

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