1. Sanctions are carefully designed and targeted. The Government considers the potential domestic and wider impacts, including on the UK economy as well as on the intended target, and considers how such impacts can be mitigated. UK courts have consistently recognised the Government’s expertise on matters of foreign policy, including how sanctions can be used to maximum effect. 2. New sanctions regulations go through extensive parliamentary scrutiny. All secondary legislation is subject to high levels of scrutiny by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI) or by parliamentarians following the laying of the SI. 3. New autonomous regulations (to amend existing sanctions regimes or introduce new autonomous sanctions regimes) are made under the made affirmative procedure. New UN or mixed UN-autonomous regulations are subject to the made negative parliamentary procedure. This means that MPs and Peers can pass a prayer motion within 40 days of laying to defeat the legislation – though to date this has never happened for sanctions regulations. 4. Designations are developed and deployed by FCDO Ministers using the criteria and legal tests set out in sanctions regulations and the Human Rights Act 1998, all of which have been scrutinised and approved by Parliament. 5. Each designation is subject to ministerial consideration and must adhere to robust legal requirements. The reasoning behind each designation must be properly evidenced according to criteria approved by Parliament, and with credible sources that can be relied upon in court. 6. The Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (SAMLA) provides the legal framework for designations. Ministers are under a duty to revoke a designation where the relevant tests are no longer met, and designated persons may request a review of their designation; the outcome of that review can be considered by the courts. Further, a Minister may decide to review a designation at any time - for example, if new information becomes available 7. This Government has proactively updated Parliament in respect of all key sanctions decisions, including via regular oral and written statements, providing opportunities for discussion and challenge.