Do sanctions need more parliamentary oversight? Foreign Affairs Committee to hold session
The Foreign Affairs Committee will hold an evidence session on the UK’s sanctions strategy, asking whether sanctions are subject to enough parliamentary scrutiny and oversight. The session will take place at 10.15 on Tuesday 10 June.
Members will hear from lawyers specialising in sanctions policy in the first panel. The panel will cover the merits and challenges of greater parliamentary scrutiny of sanctions and the extent of the role Parliament can play in making sanctions. The panel is likely to discuss international comparators, including the United States and Canada.
Meeting details
In the second panel, the Committee will focus on the procedural implications of increased parliamentary involvement in sanctions scrutiny, hearing from former Clerk of the House, Sir David Natzler. The Committee will explore whether Parliament should have a mechanism to directly impose or recommend the designation of sanctions. Questions are likely to cover the different options for scrutiny, including a new standalone parliamentary committee, and ways of striking the right balance between managing security concerns and transparency.