Ukraine: International Claims Commission Convention

Lord Callanan Excerpts

Tuesday 30th June 2026 Grand Committee

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords, I also thank my noble friend Lord Johnson for securing this important debate. The whole committee is to be congratulated for its hard work on the scrutiny of this convention. I am grateful to all noble Lords who have contributed, particularly my noble and learned friend Lady Prentis, whose grim litany of statistics was truly horrifying. I am very happy to confirm to the noble Lord, Lord Bruce, that it is our policy to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, and we all know the reasons for that. I am not going to pursue that point now because it would break the spirit of unanimity that there has been on this important subject.

As noble Lords across the Committee know, we have been steadfast in our support for Ukraine both in government and in opposition, and that reflects the UK people’s support for the people of Ukraine in the face of Putin’s illegal invasion. It is something of which we should all be proud. We are one of the few countries in the world where there is genuine cross-party collaboration and support for the people of Ukraine, against this horrific invasion. We are delighted to see the latest news, which looks a little more encouraging for Ukraine, but we will see how that pans out. The measures of support have commanded cross-party backing and show what can be done if we unite as a nation. We must continue that work. We will support this Government or the next if they continue to support Ukraine in its fight. We need to redouble our commitment.

In total, so far the UK has committed £21.8 billion for Ukraine, £13 billion of that support being military, providing Ukraine with the weapons and equipment that it needs to defend itself. Here at home, I am humbled to say that the country has supported 177,600 Ukrainians through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. That has demonstrated our compassion as a nation. Ordinary Britons across the country have stepped up in Ukraine’s time of need; they have given up their spare rooms and a great deal of their time to support Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s illegal war. We should pay tribute to every one of those families that have taken part in this scheme.

Today we are looking towards the future. While this war continues, we are rightly looking ahead to a future where the people of Ukraine can eventually get the justice they deserve. The Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine has been agreed to review, assess and decide on claims for compensation of damage, loss or injury caused by internationally wrongful acts committed by Russia against Ukraine. Noble Lords across the Committee will well remember the appalling scenes at Bucha and many other Ukrainian towns and villages, so we all know what appalling war crimes Russian forces have perpetrated during the war. But we have also become used to images of burned-out cars, bombed-out blocks of flats and countless homes destroyed. Millions of Ukrainians have suffered loss, damage and injury as a result of wrongful acts committed by Russia. They deserve justice, and there have been thousands of recorded instances of torture, inhumane treatment and sexual violence.

As has been noted by many other noble Lords, the Council of Europe’s register of damage, established in 2023, has received approximately 150,000 claims to date, and it is thought that those claims could rise to as many as 10 million. Every Ukrainian who has suffered at the hands of Putin’s forces deserves justice, and I think the whole Committee can agree on that.

It is welcome that the UK is playing a full role in this process with a permanent seat on the commission’s finance committee. We should continue to play that leading role in support of the Ukrainian people as a trusted voice on the international stage. We also have a powerful role to play in the pursuit of any criminal prosecutions in the conflict. I would be grateful if the Minister could provide an update on that when she replies to the debate.

We know that initial funding will come from voluntary contributions from signatories. I would be grateful if the Minister could say what the UK’s contribution will be. We understand that it will be around £2.6 million in the current spending period across the register and the claims commission. Can the Minister tell us how that funding is forecast to increase over time? We would be grateful if she could provide any further clarity on those figures. Further to that, what contingency funding plans are being prepared should Russia, as indeed is very likely, never join the claims commission?

We on this side of the Committee have welcomed the use of proceeds from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, and we have constantly asked Ministers about plans to go further on using the frozen assets themselves. I understand the legal difficulties of that, but, like the noble Lord, Lord Bruce, and others, I would be grateful if the Minister could update the Committee on whether there is any progress on using those frozen Russian assets.

I note that a number of third parties have commented on some of the limitations of the convention. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said that it

“regrets that the temporal scope of the Commission is currently limited to the damage caused … on or after 24 February 2022”,

and considers that

“all victims of the Russian Federation’s aggression since 2014 should be entitled to compensation”.

This point was also made by other noble Lords on the committee. What thought have Ministers put into the issue of support for the Ukrainians who suffered damage between 2014 and 2022?

This convention is an important step forward for the Ukrainian people. The Government are, in our view, right to continue their work to support Ukraine. I look forward to working with the Minister and noble Lords across the House as we collectively recommit ourselves to helping and supporting the people of Ukraine in their time of need.