Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Ukraine: International Response

Monday 30 January 2023 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK, allies, and partners are providing military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
  • UK led the world by gifting modern main battle tanks to Ukraine.
  • Government has committed same funding for current year as last year for Ukraine support.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Aaron Bell
Ukraine
Context

The MP is concerned about the UK's role in providing military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine following Russia's invasion.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to progress the international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The UK has been leading efforts with the gifting of modern main battle tanks to Ukraine, but the MP wants more details on the coordinated military and diplomatic effort being made by the UK and its allies.

Answer from James Heappey

The UK, our allies and partners are responding decisively to provide military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. The UK has led the world with the gifting of modern main battle tanks to Ukraine, and we are engaging international partners through a co-ordinated military and diplomatic effort.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not specify any new steps being taken beyond confirming ongoing efforts.

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Q2 Aaron Bell
Ukraine
Context

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the MP is interested in confirming whether the UK will continue to lead international efforts by matching its military aid commitment from last year.

Question

I concur with my right hon. Friend that we have shown the way on Ukraine. We have consistently been at the forefront. He mentioned battle tanks; it was our announcement that set the precedent that enabled our allies to make their announcements last week. In the same vein, will my right hon. Friend confirm that we will continue to lead the way on support for Ukraine by pushing our allies to match our commitment to send as much, or more, military aid to Ukraine this year as we sent last year?

Answer from James Heappey

The Government have already committed the same amount of money for this year as it did for last year, so in that sense the job is already done. Of course, how this year's money is used will depend very much on what is going on on the ground.

Answered
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Q3 Nia Griffith Lab Llanelli
Ukraine
Context

The MP is concerned about the replacement of non-lethal anti-tank weapons sent to Ukraine, specifically inquired about contracts signed for replenishing these supplies.

Question

We heard before Christmas that the Government had finally signed a contract to replenish NLAWs—next-generation light anti-tank weapons—but, in order to ensure that we can continue to be a leader in the international effort in Ukraine, how many other contracts have been signed to replace the consumable military aid that has been sent to Ukraine?

Answer from James Heappey

High-velocity missiles have already been placed on contract. Many of the other systems that have been donated were already in the process of being updated and were gifted when they were coming to the end of their life within our current inventory, and thus would not be expected to be placed on contract because they are part of a routine procurement process.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not specify how many contracts have been signed for replacing consumable military aid sent to Ukraine.

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Q4 Dave Doogan SNP Angus and Perthshire Glens
Ukraine
Context

The MP is questioning the UK Government's decision to make available frozen assets belonging to Yevgeny Prigozhin, a key figure in the Wagner Group.

Question

Much of the international support that is going to Ukraine will be deployed to defend Ukrainians against the barbarity of the Wagner Group private militia. Will the Minister explain to the UK's allies why the UK Government made available the frozen assets of Wagner's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in order that he could take out a case against a British journalist? Given this inexplicable accommodation, will the Minister confirm whether this Tory Government roll out the red carpet exclusively for Russian warlords? Or is it an inclusive UK service, available to war criminals everywhere?

Answer from James Heappey

The presence of Wagner on the frontline in the Donbas is clearly a reflection of just how bad things have got for Putin and the Russian armed forces—so bad that a mercenary group that recruits from prisons is required. As for the substantive part of the hon. Gentleman's question, it sounds like that might be a question for my Treasury colleagues; I will make sure that they write to him with an answer.

Not addressed: The Minister avoided answering by referring the MP's questions to his Treasury colleagues without providing substantive information or addressing the issue directly.

How: Passing The Question To Another Department

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