Written Question · S6W-43449 · Session 6
Whether it has assessed any potential reputational, economic or security risks associated with Scotland-based companies being involved in t…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed any potential reputational, economic or security risks associated with Scotland-based companies being involved in the transport of Russian liquefied natural gas following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including vessels operated or managed by Seapeak, and, in light of any potential impact on Scotland's economy, what engagement it has had with the UK Government on the enforcement of sanctions and services prohibitions relating to Russia’s energy sector.
The answer
Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict the Scottish Government has urged businesses in Scotland to, where possible, cut ties with Russia. We fully support the UK Government’s sanctions regime against Russia and apply additional discretionary economic measures, whereby the Scottish Government and its economic agencies will not support trade and investment activity with Russia.The case of Seapeak, and their role in transporting Russian liquified natural gas (LNG) to European countries, was previously raised in the Scottish Parliament on 4 September 2024 by Patrick Harvie MSP (S6O-03656).That same month I raised the case of Seapeak in a letter to the then UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and encouraged the UK Government to take all possible action to ensure the effectiveness of the UK’s sanctions regime in exerting pressure on the Russian regime.All Enterprise Agencies – Scottish Enterprise, Highland and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise – also confirmed at that time that they did not have a relationship with Seapeak, and have recently reconfirmed that they continue to have no ongoing relationship with Seapeak.I understand that the EU has since adopted, on 23 October 2025, further sanctions including a ban on Russian LNG imports, applying to long-term contracts from January 2027, with earlier termination of short-term contracts. The UK, on 12 November 2025, announced its intention to introduce a maritime services ban on Russian LNG, to be phased in over 2026 in coordination with the EU.This should affect what is permissible for UK companies to do in regards to Russian LNG, and I will be writing to the UK Government to ask for further clarity on this in due course.All answers to Oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S6W-43449 by reference.