Stephen Doughty
MP for Cardiff South and Penarth · Labour (Co-op) · United Kingdom
“The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to set out the situation, the threats and the impact on our economy. Across this House, we share a desire to get the strait reopened.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for his sustained and continued advocacy on behalf of his constituent, which is deeply powerful. I know it is of concern to many Members across this House. Despite some progress in Mr Johal’s legal proceedings, eight of the cases against him remain outstanding.”
“I share the hon. Gentleman’s horror at some of the things we have seen going on in those illegal settlements, and we have absolutely condemned the settler violence—the settler terrorism—that we have seen.”
“I pay tribute to our Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office consular teams, particularly for their current work on the Nepal-China flooding crisis. It is also important to pay tribute to the work they do to support the thousands of British nationals who are arrested or detained abroad each year.”
“If I may, Mr Speaker, I want to start by acknowledging the devastating floods in Nepal. I know many Members are supporting constituents who have been affected by this tragedy, and our intention remains to support British nationals and the people of Nepal.”
“The right hon. Gentleman raises important cases. I can assure him that we continue to support the clemency applications of Ryan Cornelius and Charles Ridley and to raise their case with the UAE authorities. In fact, I did so recently; the former Foreign Secretary did so as well and has met the families. As the right hon.”
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“I am genuinely grateful to the hon. Member for Brigg and Immingham (Martin Vickers) for securing this debate. I pay tribute to his work as vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Gibraltar, and to that of its chair, my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth North (Amanda Martin). I thank all right hon. and hon. Members for their contributions, which have been broadly in the spirit that I and the people and Government of Gibraltar would have hoped for: reasonable, fair scrutiny with broad support. It is important to emphasise that, because it sends a strong signal that complements the strong support of the democratically elected Parliament of Gibraltar for the draft UK-EU agreement.”
“I will come back to the timeline in due course. It is quite right that throughout the process Parliament has provided scrutiny, as it has been doing in this debate, which is very welcome.”
“Rather than delaying the publication until that point, we chose to bring forward the draft treaty so that Members could scrutinise it and see the detail. I assure Members that the text published in February remains substantively unchanged. The intervening period has been used for legal verification, technical checks and the preparation of authentic language versions. That is one of the reasons why the final treaty will be published and signed imminently. The provisional application will take place from 15 July, and we will then make the appropriate statements in this House and start the CRaG process, in line with discussions with the secretariat of the European Affairs Committee regarding the practical arrangements.”
“This agreement is good for Gibraltar and for the United Kingdom, and it is good for all the people, including our people. Right hon. and hon. Members have accurately reflected the work and statecraft that has gone into it and the practical benefits it will deliver. This marks a turning point. Before I conclude, let me respond to some of the specific points that have been made. I have answered the questions about the timing of the CRaG process, but Members will appreciate that bringing a treaty of this complexity into effect has required a set of interlocking processes. We are not the sole guardians of the process; there are processes in Gibraltar, Spain and the European Union, and the treaty can be signed only once those processes—including the EU’s translation of the text into 23 other official languages—have concluded and been aligned.”
“The agreement delivers a solution that the Government of Gibraltar want, and the Chief Minister has been very clear on that. The treaty has a series of benefits for wider relationships. The shadow Minister rightly pointed out the welcome announcement regarding non-co-operative jurisdictions from our friends in Spain. That is important to Gibraltar and is a testament to how things have moved forward. We have seen tangible and positive developments in our relationship with our friends in Spain across a whole series of issues that matter to people here in the UK, including our co-operation in business, security and trade. That is welcome. The treaty is, of course, one of the crucial aspects of the reset in our relationship with the European Union.”
“That is crucial for the nearly 15,000 people who cross the border every day for work, and for protecting Gibraltar’s economy. To unlock the benefits of a fluid border, travellers arriving at the airport will undergo dual immigration controls. Under this system, visitors have the benefit of crossing freely into Spain without checks. Time spent in Gibraltar will therefore count towards the EU’s 90/180 days requirement. The Government of Gibraltar have assessed that the significant impact of an open border outweighs any challenges that might result from it. Because Gibraltar automatically already applies a period for UK residents coming into Gibraltar, it has been pointed out that, practically, this means very little. It does not, of course, affect the residents of Gibraltar itself.”
“The sovereignty of Gibraltar is protected in the treaty for the long term. If it had not been, we would not have agreed it. Many Members raised important points about the military base. Safeguarding the operational autonomy of the UK’s military facilities has been a red line for the UK Government throughout our discussions. The agreement protects that autonomy and allows our facilities to continue their vital contribution to regional security and prosperity. The Ministry of Defence has been closely involved in the negotiations at every stage. We have the full backing of the Defence Secretary and defence teams on this agreement. I am glad that that was confirmed by colleagues’ experiences of engaging with the Commander British Forces in Gibraltar. The agreement also removes immigration checks at Gibraltar’s land border with Spain.”
“The agreement is about technical arrangements that govern Gibraltar’s relationship with the EU. I appreciate the compliments paid by the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Dr Pinkerton), and others about article 2 of the treaty, which makes it clear that the agreement in no way affects our sovereignty position on Gibraltar and cannot be used to challenge it. As I set out both in opposition and now in government, we remain committed to the Gibraltar double lock, which means we would never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes, and we would never enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar was not content.”
“Much of the legislative and operational work to bring the agreement into force is being led by His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar, and they have made very strong progress in a short space of time. They have already put in place their main primary legislation and are working tirelessly on the many practical steps needed to apply the agreement. I am pleased to say that there is very strong co-operation between the Spanish and Gibraltarian authorities across areas of shared implementation, including the physical infrastructure works required at Gibraltar’s airport. We stand ready to assist in whatever way we can, and have done so throughout the process. It is important to emphasise, as many Members have, that negotiations on sovereignty were never on the table during the treaty negotiations, and that was not in doubt.”
“The UK and the EU, along with Gibraltar and Spain, are committed to fully ratifying the treaty as soon as possible, and we are all working at pace to achieve that. My understanding is that the process in the European Parliament will take place this autumn, up to December. We will be operating under a similar timeline, in accordance with the discussions we are having with the relevant Committees and others regarding the CRaG process. Once signed, the treaty will be provided immediately to the UK Parliament, and I will make the appropriate statements to signify that moment. We will then have the CRaG process and ratification. I hope that satisfies Members who asked about the timeline, but I will go into a little more detail later.”
“Indeed; that is a fair point, and I appreciate the hon. Gentleman making it. We did appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee, and we have endured scrutiny in the media and from businesses and others—and quite rightly so. On my visit to Gibraltar, I met with the leader of the opposition, businesses and others, who had legitimate and reasonable questions to ask. We have done our best to answer those transparently and in good faith. What matters most at this point is providing clarity and certainty for the people and businesses of Gibraltar, which is why I am pleased to say that the UK and EU will provisionally apply the agreement from 15 July—next week. This is an important milestone for Gibraltar.”
“I am conscious that in between there will be a recess. I will ensure that that does not affect this House’s ability to have the proper period to scrutinise under the CRaG process. That may be what the shadow Minister was going to ask.”
“That will enable our facilities to continue their vital operations without interference or interruption. The posting of UK military personnel serving in Gibraltar and their families will not depend on Schengen border checks; as is the case now, the UK will decide who will serve in Gibraltar. We also have important agreements on goods entering the base. As colleagues will understand, we do not disclose sensitive operational details, but we have agreed special arrangements to ensure the functioning of the new arrangements.”
“I have touched on the questions about the 90-in-180-day rule, but for the record, under the agreement, non-resident British nationals can visit Gibraltar for up to 90 days, as is the case today—there is no change in that—but, as visitors will be free to enter Spain without checks, time spent in Gibraltar will count towards the 90-in-180-day requirement of the EU. Importantly, immigration into Gibraltar is and will remain the responsibility of the Government of Gibraltar. The agreement provides a unique solution, a fluid border, and puts different procedures and processes in place. On the military base, there are lots of details, but I was asked a specific question, so I want to be clear that UK military personnel entering Gibraltar will not be subject to Schengen checks under the proposed arrangements.”
“Obviously, we hope to never get to that scenario, but it is important that we have those safeguards in place. To answer the questions that my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds South West and Morley asked, I quote from my letter to the Chief Minister on 2 March: “It is therefore politically inconceivable that in any normal circumstances, should a democratically elected Government in Gibraltar or indeed the Gibraltarian people determine that this agreement does not serve their interests, His Majesty’s Government would not take action.” I hope that provides assurance, as it is certainly the tenor of my discussions with the Chief Minister and, indeed, of the discussions he has had in the Gibraltar Parliament.”
“In practical terms, this treaty will have had far more pre-scrutiny and Committee scrutiny in this House than many other international treaties. I hope that provides some assurance to colleagues. Members asked a number of other questions. I have covered the questions about article 2 and sovereignty. I was asked about future scenarios that might emerge with respect to the relationship between the UK and Gibraltar. It is important to emphasise that the Gibraltar Parliament unanimously passed a motion calling on the UK to ratify the treaty, subject to the existence of a concordat assuring that the UK can exercise its powers in the treaty only with the consent of His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar, and that the people of Gibraltar have the right to determine in a referendum whether the treaty should be terminated in the future.”
“I do envisage the treaty coming forward, but I want to ensure that we do not start the clock and then Members feel they do not have a chance to scrutinise it over the recess. The minute that the treaty is signed, it will be provided—within appropriate transmission times—to both Houses. We will ensure that we are in close contact with the Committees and that we have an agreement on the CRaG process, and we will make the appropriate statements. Sir John, you will know that the timing of statements and debates in the House is a matter for the usual channels between the Government and the Opposition, but I do not want to shy away from scrutiny, and that is why I welcome this debate. We will not try to curtail the CRaG process in any way.”
“I want to conclude by thanking everybody for their scrutiny, which has been hugely important. I thank the all-party group for its consistent engagement over many years, and I thank friends in the Gallery for their engagement. I really do think this is a milestone moment in finalising something that was left undone by Brexit. The agreement will have practical benefits for the people of Gibraltar, for the people of the whole region, for the United Kingdom, and for the UK and the EU. There are wins across the board in the agreement. I very much hope that Members will engage with the CRaG process as it goes forward. I will keep the House fully informed, as appropriate, the minute the treaty is signed and deposited. With that, I thank Members for their contributions.”
“Over half of all goods in Gibraltar arrive from the EU and already meet those standards, as do many others that arrive from outside the EU. They are going to be pre-cleared away from the land border by relevant customs officials. The Government of Gibraltar fully support that new model, which brings in the benefits of an open border and protects Gibraltar’s economy. Points were made about security. I think there is a steadfast commitment on both sides to work together, with practical arrangements between law enforcement agencies. None of us wants anything going on in Gibraltar or indeed over the border in Spain that will put anyone at risk. We all know the types of threats, which we share. That is at the heart of the wider discussions we are having with the EU about how we better align on law enforcement and security and defence.”
“I pay particular tribute to the Deputy Chief Minister, who has taken a keen role in relation to the airport and its functioning over the years; it has been at the heart of the agreement throughout. On customs checks and the business impacts, I recognise the points made by Members about the questions they have been asked by businesses. The UK Government and the Government of Gibraltar are confident that overall, the economic benefits of the agreement will massively outweigh any issues with changes. Obviously, there will be implementation periods for the taxation arrangements, which are for Gibraltar to decide on; for example, there will be a period coming up to the VAT rate changes. On customs checks for businesses, to allow for free flow across the Gibraltar-Spain border, goods in Gibraltar must meet EU standards.”
“Of course, 18,000 people use Eurostar every day, and we have heard about the 15,000 people crossing the border in Gibraltar. The Government of Gibraltar and the different authorities are working closely on a whole series of practical and physical arrangements for how things will work—I will not go into the detail of all the different maps, plans and architect’s drawings that we scrutinised in great detail. As was rightly pointed out by the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, another benefit of the agreement is that, subject to commercial interest, new flight routes into Gibraltar from other areas within the Schengen area could open up. Again, this will provide an economic boost and benefit.”
“The hon. Gentleman asks a good question. The practical checks that take place at the airport are not dissimilar to the juxtaposed controls at St Pancras and elsewhere. We tried to come up with a practical solution to the new arrangement, and it is one that has the full agreement of the Government of Gibraltar. Everyone arriving at the airport will undergo Gibraltar immigration controls carried out by Gibraltar officials, followed by Schengen entry checks carried out by Spanish officials on behalf of the EU. On completion of those checks, individuals will be able to enter both Gibraltar and the Schengen area. As I said, that set-up is similar—it is not exactly the same—to how we make the arrangements work practically at St Pancras.”
“As you will know, Mr Speaker, Jo Cox was a good friend of mine long before we came into this place, as well as a colleague of mine at Oxfam, and I have to say that coming in today on this anniversary is particularly sad. I also know that Jo would have told me to stop getting so emotional and to get on with the job in her inimitable way, as she often did—so I will do just that. We are committed to increasing the economic pressure on Russia by disrupting the revenue the Kremlin generates from Russia’s energy trade, including oil, which remains its primary means of financing the illegal war in Ukraine. The Prime Minister has today announced further sanctions, designating and specifying 70 individuals, entities and ships under the UK’s sanctions regulations, including 20 shadow fleet vessels.”
“The hon. Gentleman will understand that I am not going to comment on future operational matters. What I can say is that we have also assisted in the interdictions of other vessels, including by working with the French and the United States in relation to the Bella 1. We keep Russia’s activities under very close review and designate hundreds of vessels under the shadow fleet measures, and we will look at all opportunities to ensure that they cannot evade sanctions.”
“With respect, the hon. Gentleman may not have caught up with developments on that front. First, it was never an indefinite waiver; we said that we were keeping it under two-weekly review—my colleagues in the Department for Business and Trade made that very clear. Yesterday in the House, and indeed in announcements over the weekend, we set clear end dates for those temporary licences, which are to phase in these measures. Of course, these are new measures—we were never watering down previous sanctions; these are toughening the sanctions on Russia, but with sensible provisions in place to phase them in.”
“My hon. Friend raises an important issue. I would be happy to discuss it further with him, as, I am sure, would colleagues from the Department for Business and Trade.”
“The shadow Minister asks an important question. I made it clear in yesterday’s Delegated Legislation Committee that that is the end date, but we are keeping it under review every two weeks and the licence could end before then, with the appropriate notice in place for industry. I am clear that our sanctions are having a categorical impact on the Russian economy. Russia has slashed its economic growth forecasts, and collectively our sanctions have denied Russia access to $450 billion, which could have fuelled the war for many more years. Our sanctions are having an impact, but we will continue to toughen them.”
“As the Foreign Secretary said in her Locarno speech in December, and as the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service reinforced a week later, an industrial-scale attack is being waged every day through social media, designed to undermine our democracies and divide our societies. We know that networks attributed to Russia, including Doppelgänger, are flooding social media in countries across the world—not just the UK—with counterfeit documents and deepfake material in an attempt to weaken global support for Ukraine. We are taking tough action on this front with our international partners.”
“I completely agree with my hon. Friend. That is exactly why we have taken the action that we have: since October 2024, we have exposed and sanctioned 96 actors and entities involved in this type of activity, and in May we imposed sanctions on another 56 individuals and entities that are particularly involved in activity to undermine Ukraine. That included employees of Social Design Agency and ANO Dialog. We are constantly looking at what measures we can take, and taking action. The Kremlin is spending billions of dollars on information warfare. We will expose this activity and take it down.”
“I am sure that my ministerial colleagues with responsibility for Myanmar would like to follow up with the right hon. Gentleman on that issue. The challenge of misinformation and disinformation relates not only to Russia but to a whole series of contexts—and not just states. We also see it in non-state actors, including Daesh and other organisations. We are working very closely with partners to identify and tackle those networks.”
“Well, Jo certainly was funny. I remember standing in King Charles Street with her once just before going to see officials in the Foreign Office—she had lots of climbing ropes in her bag as she had just got back from a hiking expedition. There were many fun moments with her over the years. My right hon. Friend raises a crucial point. I really welcome the work that she and her Committee have done on this issue. We have taken their recommendations seriously and I will continue the conversation with her. I cannot make the promise that she is asking for at the moment, but we are certainly looking closely at the suggestion.”
“I assure the hon. Member that we are very much having discussions with counterparts across Government. I am sure that in the next few days I will be meeting the new Security Minister and the new Minister for the Armed Forces. I also recently met a Minister at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to discuss these very issues. I assure him that we are working closely together across Government on this issue.”
“I congratulate my hon. Friend on her damehood, which is well deserved, and on her consistent advocacy in relation to Armenia. I can assure her that we are monitoring the concerning situation regarding Russian economic pressure on Armenia. We are developing our strategic partnership further. In fact, I was discussing Armenia with both US and EU counterparts in recent days, and we will work closely with international partners to ensure Armenia is robust and able to pursue its own future.”
“The illicit finance summit will convene a broad coalition to tackle dirty money globally and focus on financial transparency, property, crypto and illicit gold. The Crown dependencies and overseas territories with financial centres have committed to upholding international tax standards, but we work closely with them on upholding those international standards and on wider transparency, including in relation to beneficial ownership.”
“We wish Scotland very well and congratulate the team on their success against Haiti. The hon. Lady raises an important point. I have raised these issues with the US Government, as has our embassy in Washington. Obviously I cannot comment on specific cases, but I urge all constituents who are travelling to the United States for the world cup to follow the US guidance online. If they encounter any challenges, I urge them to speak to the US embassy.”
“I thank the hon. Gentleman for his consistent advocacy on Gibraltar. We are committed to finalising this treaty imminently. The draft treaty text is undergoing its final legal checks, and as he will know, a draft was previously deposited in the House with a summary on 26 February. We look forward to signature imminently, and the provisional application is expected on 15 July.”
“I am grateful for the constructive and ongoing engagement with Parliament on the issue of licensing, including with those I have mentioned, as well as for the strong, unified support for sanctions on Russia and the steadfast backing of Ukraine from the vast majority of the House—although you will know, Sir Desmond, that in the past I have criticised some who have parroted Kremlin lines and have serious questions to answer on these matters. The Government welcome the shared determination of the Committee to maximise pressure on Putin’s war machine, and we recognise the concerns and genuine scrutiny that have been raised. I commend the regulations to the Committee.”
“To conclude, this wide-ranging, impactful package shows that the Government take incredibly seriously our commitment to supporting Ukraine, to targeting Russia for its actions in prosecuting its illegal and barbarous war in Ukraine, and to combating Putin’s attempts to prolong the war and cause further damage, death and destruction, which we have seen him mete out so tragically in just the past 24 hours. Our sanctions have hit Putin hard. We will not let up, and we will continue to go further.”
“Indeed, additional shipping sanctions in this package prohibit persons from operating or chartering specified ships, and require the UK ship registrar, who maintains the UK Ship Register, which is part of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, to refuse to register specified ships. Lastly, the legislation will close a gap by prohibiting the acquisition and purported acquisition of a detained transport asset from or for the benefit of a designated person or person connected with Russia. That instrument amends the enforcement provisions of the 2019 regulations, as well as the Trade, Aircraft and Shipping Sanctions (Civil Enforcement) Regulations 2024, to provide for the enforcement of the new prohibitions introduced by these regulations.”
“In the new, expanded criteria, we have specified ships to include ships carrying liquefied natural gas that originated in Russia and ships carrying coal and coal products that originated in Russia. The aim of that is to make it easier to sanction ships for a wider range of activity. We have also strengthened the trade and shipping sanctions that can be applied to specified ships by introducing additional prohibitions. The new trade sanctions enable the Government to prohibit persons from providing and procuring certain maritime and financial services in relation to specified ships.”
“That will complement the other restrictions in place on architecture and engineering, ensuring that UK construction businesses cannot support infrastructure and building projects that benefit Russia. We have also expanded the criteria for specifying ships. Members will have seen the robust and brave action that our armed forces and law enforcement personnel took over the weekend. We will not hesitate to enforce international law and take action when Russia is attempting to use a vessel or another means to circumvent restrictions that we are putting in place. I pay tribute to all those involved in that crucial operation but, as Members will understand, I will not go into further operational details today. I know that questions have been raised on the Floor of the House.”
“Certain existing long-term contracts are exempt from the provisions until the end of the year, in line with the EU’s LNG measure. We always attempt to work alongside our EU and other counterparts for appropriate effect. There is also a ban on the import of uranium consigned from Russia and uranium that originates in Russia, and UK involvement in the global trade of Russian uranium is restricted. Exceptions are in place to mitigate risks to energy security in third countries, including the supply of uranium to operational nuclear installations. Construction services is another area where this package takes action. The legislation introduces a prohibition on providing construction services to persons connected with Russia.”
“Restrictions also include a more expansive list of individual chemicals and chemical precursors that might be used in, for example, riot control agents found on the battlefield or goods for internal repression. Lastly, restrictions include goods related to emerging technologies, including quantum, semiconductor and engineering biology technologies, including new goods and those not already clearly subject to existing sanctions, to reduce the risk of circumvention. As I said, there are measures on refined oil. The legislation bans the import into the UK of oil products refined in third countries that have been made from Russian crude oil. There is a new maritime services ban on LNG that restricts Russia’s access to the UK’s world leading-maritime services, which has been rightly raised on numerous occasions by colleagues across the House.”
“We have imposed further export restrictions that fall into the following four categories: first, items sanctioned by the EU already, including certain types of industrial chemicals, metals and machinery that have potential battlefield use; and goods recommended for sanctions by the Government of Ukraine, including additional forms of metals and articles of carbon fibre, which are frequently used in the manufacture of the drones that we have seen causing such devastating impact. I witnessed for myself where those drones had hit Lviv a few months ago, including again on a religious site in the city centre—absolutely appalling crimes. We need to choke off the supplies and matériel used for those drones.”
“The LNG and refined oil provisions were just part of the overall package. The regulations are a strong enhancement of our Russian sanctions regime. To reiterate what the Prime Minister and my colleague the Minister for Trade said on 20 May, we have not lifted or eased sanctions: our sanctions are now stronger than they were a month ago. I really underline that point to the Committee. The legislation is sanctioning previously unsanctioned goods and services, and that includes multiple measures targeting Russia’s energy sector and other key supplies.”
“That sets the timetable now for fully phasing in the ban and shutting down the remaining route for Russian oil. Regular reviews will continue to ensure that the licence is lifted at the earliest possible date, which of course could be before that date. I will turn to the details in a moment, but I want to say thank you for genuine and constructive scrutiny, particularly from Liberal Democrat counterparts and others, and for conversations with Members across the House to ensure that the measures are phased in correctly. On the basis of the review, the Government have been able to communicate how that is going to operate going forward; I hope these measures will enjoy the wholehearted support of the Committee today. They include a range of different measures, and it is important that all of those are able to go forward.”
“There was some misleading reporting and commentary around the time of these measures. We were not watering down existing measures—these are new measures that many across the House have called for, including me when I sat on the Opposition side, which toughen and tighten the pressure on Russia. As often happens with sanctions regimes, it is only appropriate that they be phased to allow for appropriate market stability; at the earliest possible opportunity, the bans will be introduced in full. As part of the review process that has been ongoing since the measures came into place, the Government have now set a clear end date for the refined oil licence of 1 January 2027, in line with the liquefied natural gas maritime services ban spot licence.”
“The second licence applies to the refined oil import ban and to authorised imports of diesel and jet fuel refined in third countries from Russian crude oil. As with the LNG licence—I must reiterate this to the Committee—the licences have always been intended as a temporary measure. They are designed to mitigate and protect consumers and market stability here, and they are subject to fortnightly review. The process of review involves continually assessing the impact of licences on energy supplies, market conditions and other relevant considerations against our overarching objective, which is, I am sure, shared by all members of this Committee: of ramping up pressure on Russia through our sanctions regime and, in light of this assessment, determining what steps are appropriate at each review point.”
“I will not comment on further measures, but we will not cease to explore all opportunities to raise the pressure and degrade Russia’s war machine for its actions in Ukraine, and to look at all the methods it uses to evade such regimes. To phase in the implementation of the measures, we have issued two targeted licences, intended as a temporary measure—I make that very clear, as we have done in response to the many questions and debates we have had about this issue. The licences are subject to ongoing review, with fortnightly checkpoints. They may be amended, suspended or revoked, as appropriate. The first licence is for the new liquefied natural gas maritime services ban. It temporarily authorises spot-market trade from Russian LNG projects Sakhalin II and Yamal until 1 January 2027.”
“It is yet another set of measures from this Government, who continue the work of the previous Government; when I sat on the Opposition Benches, I welcomed and supported such measures, while also providing robust scrutiny. The sanctions are having a real impact. Last month, Russia slashed its economic growth forecast for 2026 from 1.3% to just 0.4%; Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister ascribed the downgrade to the impact of sanctions, among other factors. Indeed, Putin himself admitted that Russian GDP contracted by 1.8% in January and February, with a decline in areas critical to Russia’s war efforts, including industrial production. It is clear that our sanctions are having an impact and that they have bite, which is why we will not cease them.”