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Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation: Sanctions and Tariffs

08 March 2023

Lead MP

Siobhain McDonagh
Mitcham and Morden
Lab

Responding Minister

David Rutley

Tags

UkraineEconomyTaxationBusiness & Trade
Word Count: 3993
Other Contributors: 6

At a Glance

Siobhain McDonagh raised concerns about republic of belarus and the russian federation: sanctions and tariffs in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key Requests to Government:

I ask the Minister to address the detail of this issue and explain how we will close the loopholes that Russia and Belarus are using, ensuring our sanctions and tariffs are effective in practice. Additionally, I urge the Government to update the sanctions list and increase tariffs on metals, making goods originating from sanctioned countries uncompetitive.

How the Debate Unfolded

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

Lead Contributor

Mitcham and Morden
Opened the debate
Businesses in my constituency have been impacted by sanctions evasion tactics employed by a Belarusian company. This company is circumventing UK sanctions on Belarusian goods by claiming that its products originate from Russia, allowing it to import sanctioned items without facing the additional tariff and thus undercutting local businesses. The case exemplifies how sanctions lists can be drawn up in such a way as to create loopholes exploited by Russian and Belarusian entities.

Government Response

David Rutley
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms Fovargue. I congratulate the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden on securing this important debate and her commitment in broadly backing His Majesty's Government's approach to sanctions. The UK has co-ordinated with international allies to respond to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, imposing over 1,500 individuals and entities since the start of the invasion. Since the year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK introduced an array of measures targeting trade, finance, military, and industrial sectors, reducing Russian goods imports by 99% between September and November last year compared to the same period in 2021. More than £20 billion of UK-Russia trade in goods is now under full or partial sanction. Tariff measures were also introduced tightening screws on Putin and his supporters. The latest package includes export bans on every item Russia has been found to be using on the battlefield, adding further weight to our response. To tackle circumvention, the Government and HMRC take all reported alleged sanctions violations very seriously indeed. Businesses play a crucial role in providing information about suspected breaches. Different regimes serve different foreign policy objectives, although there are links between Russia and Belarus sanctions; they are distinct. The UK has worked closely with international partners to maximise impact, demonstrating leadership in the most impactful areas such as designating top executives at Rosatom. We will continue to bear down on Russia and Belarus by implementing further sanctions and leaning in to tackle circumvention attempts.
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About Westminster Hall Debates

Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.