Boarding of Sanctioned Vessels

Lord Harper Excerpts

Wednesday 14th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

What we are doing is trying to make sure that we get it right. Even if you increase the budget by £3 billion, £4 billion or £5 billion, there will be debate about the correct way to spend that money. What is the war-fighting readiness that we need? What is the capability that we need to tackle the threats that we face? We as a Government are determined to ensure that we can fight the war of the future—that we are ready to fight the war of the future, not the war of the past. That takes decisions, that takes debate, that takes discussion, and that is what is going on.

[Lord Harper (Con)]

My Lords, the Minister referred to the legal basis for these actions. Can he confirm that the Government have used the powers in the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act? Have the Government made an assessment of whether they have all the legal powers they need? If they do not, do they have plans to change that situation?

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

The legal basis is the fact that these ships are operating as either false flag or stateless vessels. That gives us the legal basis. I have read the reports that the noble Lord has read, but the current situation is that that is the legal basis that we are using in relation to the stateless, flagless ships that are sanctioned. We use that as the legal basis for the actions that we either take or support.