Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to include British ports in the sanctions regime against Russia.

New legislation made and laid on 1 March prohibits Russian ships, and other ships specified by the Secretary of State, from entering ports in the United Kingdom. This legislation confers powers on the Secretary of State and harbour authorities to detain Russian ships or specified ships at ports or anchorages, and confers powers on the Secretary of State to control the movement of Russian ships or specified ships by requiring them to leave or enter specified ports, proceed to a specified place or remain where they are. It also prohibits the registration of ships on the UK Ship Register where they are owned, controlled, chartered or operated by a designated person or persons connected with Russia, or are Russian flagged or registered, or where they are a specified ship.