Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Lord Skidelsky Economic Sanctions: A Weapon out of Control, published in April.

The Government uses our sanctions regimes as part of an integrated approach to promote our values and interests, and to combat state threats, terrorism, cyber-attacks, and the use and proliferation of chemical weapons. The UK considers the impact and effectiveness of sanctions, and works with our international partners to ensure sanctions regimes support our objectives and minimise unintended impacts.

In lockstep with our allies, we have announced the strongest set of economic sanctions ever imposed against a major economy in response to Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine, cutting off funding for Putin's war machine. The UK's sanctions have been strategically coordinated with international allies to impose a severe cost. Sanctions imposed by the UK and its international partners are having deep and damaging consequences for Putin's ability to wage war, with around £275 billion - up to 60% of Russian foreign currency reserves - currently frozen.