Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Bermuda's implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government of Bermuda (GoB) already shares confidential information on company beneficial ownership with UK law enforcement under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements. It has also committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).
The GoB is identifying the necessary modifications to its legislative regime to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How Bermuda seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.
The GoB is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of the November 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union judgment. The UK Government is engaging GoB on the issues raised by that judgment and providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with Bermuda and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Cayman Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether that Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government of the Cayman Islands (CIG) already shares confidential information on company beneficial ownership with UK law enforcement under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements. It has also committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).
CIG has published a draft Bill, to be introduced in the current session of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands, to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How Cayman seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.
CIG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of the November 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union judgment. The UK Government is engaging CIG on the issues raised by the judgment and providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with Cayman and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Falkland Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether that Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government of the Falkland Islands (FIG) has committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).
FIG is identifying the necessary modifications to its legislative regime to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How the Falkland Islands seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.
FIG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of ongoing constraints on capacity and expertise. The UK Government is providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with the Falkland Islands and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with (a) Google and (b) Apple on the ability of users to download from their app stores (i) Telegram and (ii) other apps which could be used to promote (A) Russian propaganda and (B) posts by people who have been sanctioned.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Ministers meet regularly with representatives from the tech sector. There are no restrictions on users downloading legal apps such as Telegram. However, the government has sanctioned the parent companies of Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik, so that online services, including Telegram, are not permitted to host content from these sanctioned entities for UK users to view.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to sanction (a) Telegram and (b) Pavel Durov.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We do not comment on future designations, as to do so could reduce their impact.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many applications for delisting she has received under the Russia sanctions regime; and how many legal challenges have been instigated.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
As of 17 May 2022 the FCDO has not received any requests pursuant to s23 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 in relation to designations made under The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what is the total value is of assets frozen under the Russia sanctions regime by each territory of the (a) British Overseas Territories and (b) Crown Dependencies.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
British Overseas Territories have frozen Russian assets with a combined estimated value in excess of 11 billion US dollars. Examples include, the Cayman Islands Government who publicly reported Russian assets with an estimated value of US$7.7 billion have been frozen. The British Virgin Islands government have also publicly reported assets with an estimated value of more than US$ 400 million have been frozen to date.
Sanctions enforcement matters in the Crown Dependencies is a matter for their local authorities not the UK government. But the three governments have publicly reported that they have frozen assets worth in total over £1 billion: Isle of Man, £1.9 million; Guernsey, £5 million; Jersey, over £1 billion. These figures are likely to change.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of steps taken by the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories to proactively assist the Government in the production of comprehensive designations of companies connected to sanctioned entities.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK Government is proud of the principled stand that the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, as part of the UK family, have taken in relation to sanctioned entities. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories are committed to the highest standards in financial services and are working to implement international standards, such as those set by the Financial Action Taskforce to counter money laundering. All have committed to establishing publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories continue to share valuable company ownerships and tax information with UK law authorities, under the invaluable Exchange of Notes process. It was information shared by an Overseas Territory, which enabled the UK's first Unexplained Wealth Order.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the (a) individuals and (b) firms that (i) she, (ii) her special advisors and (iii) officials in her Department have (A) received correspondence from and (B) met since 10 February 2022 on specific or proposed designations under the Russia (Sanctions) Regulations 2022.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office regularly receives correspondence regarding designation proposals or specific designations under all sanctions regimes. The UK Government has already put in place the largest package of sanctions in our history in response to Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine. We have sanctioned Putin and Lavrov, Russia's defence industry and a growing list of oligarchs. As the Foreign Secretary said in the House on 28 February, we are targeting oligarchs close to Putin without fear or favour, and we will continue to do so.
Lawyers providing legal services to Russian oligarchs and entities that have written to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in processed correspondence since 10 February 2022 include BCL Solicitors LLP on behalf of Alisher Usmanov. Representations were also received from Sberbank.