Department for Business and Trade written question – answered at on 6 March 2026.
Mark Sewards
Labour, Leeds South West and Morley
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what additional resources his Department has allocated to domestic enforcement bodies to (a) investigate and (b) prosecute sanctions evasion involving dual-use technologies exported to Russia through Hong Kong.
Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has invested in strengthening trade sanctions enforcement capacity. The Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) was established in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in October 2024. Alongside specialist investigative capacity, OTSI is equipped with powers to enforce sanctions breaches involving the movement of goods and technology via third countries. His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for enforcing export controls and trade sanctions at the UK border.
HMRC has also strengthened its investigative capabilities in this area. DBT and HMRC work closely together to investigate potential sanctions evasion and enforce breaches.
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