Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 9 March (HL14964), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, whether the TS Shtandart is prohibited from entering UK territorial waters; if so, what is the legal basis for that restriction, including any sanctions, maritime regulations or national security considerations.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to question HL 14964 on 9 March, in which I outlined that, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, any vessel with a valid flag status has the right to innocent passage through the UK’s territorial sea.

The Department cannot provide legal advice regarding domestic sanctions regulations in specific cases due to the Department’s role in administering and enforcing transport sanctions, such as through civil monetary penalties. It is the responsibility of the master and/or owner of the vessel to ensure that they comply with all UK maritime and sanctions law while under UK jurisdiction. Similarly, the decision whether to allow a vessel to dock is a matter for the respective port or harbour authority, who are also responsible for ensuring compliance with UK sanctions legislation. We encourage all entities to seek their own independent legal advice and to review the respective sanctions guidance provided via the government website.