Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department's review of the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation's sanctions licensing regime will include a full review of all licenses that have been issued in relation to professional legal fees or the provision of legal services.

HM Treasury is considering its approach to licensing to see if any changes are required to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation’s (OFSI) licensing practice in relation to legal fees licence applications. We need to carefully balance the right to legal representation - which is a fundamental one - with wider issues of public policy. There are legal constraints on OFSI's ability to grant and refuse licences - the specific purposes are set out in the Russia sanctions regulations for which the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is responsible.

The General Licence relating to legal fees is due to expire on 27 April 2023. Before General Licences are renewed or permitted to expire, the permissions are reassessed by HM Treasury to ensure that they remain appropriate.

The Government remains committed to introducing targeted anti-SLAPP legislation to stop this misuse of our legal system. Reforms will include a statutory definition of SLAPPs, an early dismissal mechanism, and costs protection for SLAPPs cases (via secondary legislation). The Ministry of Justice intend to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows.