UK Parliament to scrutinise its powers over sanctions policy
The UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has launched an enquiry into its role in scrutinising sanctions, examining whether lawmakers should have greater oversight of the country’s sanctions strategy.
Referring to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the committee said on 12 February that it is seeking evidence on, ‘How can Parliament most effectively conduct scrutiny of the FCDO’s sanctions regimes? Of specific regimes? Or individual designations?’ Also under study is ‘at what stage should Parliament be consulted, if at all.’
Key questions include ‘which aspects of sanctions policy would benefit most from broad and open discussion,’ and ‘what concerns increased parliamentary scrutiny raise and how could they be mitigated.’ The committee also wants to examine ‘how effective has parliamentary scrutiny of sanctions been in other parts of the world.’
‘Prior to leaving the European Union, Parliament had a more substantial, formal role in scrutinising autonomous sanctions implemented by the UK, typically being given confidential information on new EU sanctions before their adoption,’ the committee noted. Under current rules established after Brexit through the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and subsequent legislation, ‘Parliament has not been given prior information on new autonomous UK sanctions by the Government before they are made public.’
Written submissions to the parliamentary inquiry are due by 17 March. The enquiry comes as the government launches its own review of sanctions enforcement, announced last week by Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty.
