Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has he made of the potential impact of Russian activity in Antarctica on (a) the environment, (b) British interests and (c) international interests.

The Antarctic Treaty preserves Antarctica as a place of peace and science. An original Treaty signatory, Russia remains active in Antarctica. The Treaty requires Parties to share advance notice of their plans in Antarctica and all activities are subject to environmental impact assessments. The UK actively scrutinises plans to ensure compliance with the Treaty's robust environmental principles as well as the prohibition on military training and the establishment of military bases. We recognise the growing global interest in Antarctica, including for economic reasons. The Treaty prohibits commercial mining activity and all Parties, including Russia, reaffirmed their ongoing commitment to this ban in 2023. As with other multilateral fora, we have seen Russian State obstructionism in the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. We will continue to work with international partners to ensure UK interest, and that of our allies, are protected in the Antarctic, and the integrity of all multilateral organisations is preserved. The UK has longstanding interests in Antarctica, and we will continue to maintain a permanent presence on the continent, allowing us to conduct world-leading science, preserve British heritage, and safeguard our sovereignty of the British Antarctic Territory. I recently established a cross-ministerial polar group to consider cross-cutting questions such as these.