Asked by: Baroness Stern (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 28 January (211613), what is the schedule for technical workshops between the UK and the British Overseas Territories for the establishment of public registers of beneficial ownership; and what are the agendas for each of those workshops.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
My Department is working with other Government Departments on the support and expertise the UK Government can offer the Overseas Territories. As part of that, we plan to hold a technical workshop this summer, and are currently liaising with the Overseas Territories to agree the issues they would find it most useful to cover in the workshop. These issues could include policy, technical and legal areas.
Asked by: Baroness Stern (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of whether there are grounds to raise the case of Ahmed Aliouat with the government of Morocco.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are aware of the case of Ahmed Aliouat, and of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention report on his case. Human rights forms part of our ongoing dialogue with Morocco, and we raise concerns where appropriate.
Asked by: Baroness Stern (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 26 November (HL11409), which government departments will be responsible for providing financial and technical assistance to the British Overseas Territories to support the introduction of public registers of beneficial ownership, as established by section 51 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The British Government will aim to bring expertise from a range of departments and executive agencies, including Companies House, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Development and the Home Office. I announced at the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council the setting up of workshops between the UK and the British Overseas Territories that will be scheduled from spring next year to provide technical support to the territories. The British Government is considering what financial support is possible for the Official Development Assistance-eligible territories.
Asked by: Baroness Stern (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what technical assistance will be provided to the British Overseas Territories to support the introduction of public registers of beneficial ownership, as established by section 51 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
I announced at the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council the setting up of technical workshops between the UK and the British Overseas Territories that will be scheduled from spring next year to support the introduction of public registers of company beneficial ownership.
Asked by: Baroness Stern (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much financial assistance will be provided to each British Overseas Territory to support the introduction of public registers of beneficial ownership, as established by section 51 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The British Government is considering what financial support is possible for the Official Development Assistance-eligible territories to support the introduction of public registers of company beneficial ownership.
Asked by: Baroness Stern (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 31 July (HL9677), which Overseas Territories have proposed a review of their constitutional arrangements with the UK; and what was their response to any such requests.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Anguilla, the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands have proposed amendments to their constitutions, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is analysing these. I will be discussing the proposals with individual Territory leaders in the margins of the Joint Ministerial Council taking place 4-5 December.
Asked by: Baroness Stern (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which government departments will be responsible for providing financial and technical assistance to the British Overseas Territories to support the introduction of public registers of beneficial ownership, as established in section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The British Government will discuss any initial requests for support from the Overseas Territories with respect to the implementation of public registers during the Joint Ministerial Council, taking place in December this year. Subsequent to those discussions, officials will discuss which departments will be involved in providing financial and technical assistance.
Asked by: Baroness Stern (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK funding is being used, or has been used, to support special criminal sessions in the High Courts of Sierra Leone; if so, what assessment they have made of whether those sessions have resulted in the passing of death sentences; and whether that funding complies with their Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Human Rights Guidance published in January 2017.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Her Majesty's Government funding is not being, and has not been, used to support special criminal sessions in the High Courts of Sierra Leone.