Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage immigration to Pitcairn; what are the targets for immigration to Pitcairn; and what they consider to be the obstacles to such immigration.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Her Majesty's Government (HMG) fully supports the economic development of the Pitcairn Islands. The Government of Pitcairn has recently worked up a new Strategic Development Plan and immigration policy, which HMG is currently considering. In 2013, the Government of Pitcairn and HMG commissioned two independent expert reports into attitudes to resettlement amongst the Pitcairn diaspora community, and on the broader economic potential of the islands. Both reports recognised that there are substantial obstacles to immigration to Pitcairn, including its relative isolation, the limited economic opportunities and the legacy of child safety issues. We will continue to work in partnership with the Government of Pitcairn to support the community in Pitcairn as we consider longer-term options for the island.Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the future population of Pitcairn will be large enough to maintain a sustainable community on the island.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
In 2013, the Government of Pitcairn and Her Majesty's Government commissioned two independent pieces of analysis – into the appetite amongst the Pitcairn diaspora for return to the island, and on the broader economic potential of the island. Both reports recognised that unless the population of the island increases, it will be a challenge to maintain the longer-term viability of the community.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 28 July (WA 249), whether they will now answer the question as tabled.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The United States is our most important bilateral ally and we have regular discussions on a range of sensitive issues. It is our longstanding position not to comment on discussions of that nature. With regard to Mr Belhaj allegedly stopping over in Diego Garcia, I refer the noble Lord to the response given by my noble friend, the former Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Baroness Warsi), on 17 June 2014, Official Report, Column WA36, that, aside from the two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) in 2002, there have been no other instances in which US intelligence flights landed in the UK, our Overseas Territories, or the Crown Dependencies, with a detainee on board since 11 September 2001.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any citizens of foreign countries who require a visa to enter the United Kingdom but who do not require a visa to enter the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Citizens of the following countries and territories require visas to visit the UK but not the Republic of Ireland: Bolivia, Fiji, Guyana, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland and Taiwan.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Northover on 23 June (WA 136) and 8 July (WA 40), why the request to place a document in the Library of the House was refused yet it was released under a Freedom of Information request.
Answered by Baroness Northover
The Offering Memorandum sent by the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government for a bond issue guaranteed by DFID in 2011 is not a document owned by her Majesty’s Government. It would therefore not have been appropriate for DFID to place a copy of it in the Library of the House, although my previous answer did make clear that the Noble Lord could obtain a copy of the document by requesting it from the TCI Government.
Freedom of Information requests cover documents held by Her Majesty’s Government. DFID therefore sought the consent of the TCI Government before agreeing to release the TCI document.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the United States sought to use Diego Garcia as a stopover for the rendition of Abdel Hakim Belhadj; and, if so, what was the outcome.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
I refer the noble Lord to the response I gave on 17 June 2014, Official Report, Column WA36, that, aside from the two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) in 2002, there have been no other instances in which US intelligence flights landed in the UK, our overseas Territories, or the Crown Dependencies, with a detainee on board since 11 September 2001.Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees how many, and which, Members of the House of Lords have not attended a sitting of the House since the last General Election.
Answered by Lord Sewel
Fifty-four peers who were Members of the House of Lords at the time of the last General Election have not attended a sitting of the House since then. This figure includes six Members who hold disqualifying judicial offices, three Members who resigned under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (one of whom has since died), two Members who have retired under the informal retirement scheme, twenty-two Members who have taken leave of absence, twenty Members who have died and one who has not yet taken the oath (having been disqualified until the end of June 2014). A list of their names has been placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether prisoners have been held on Diego Garcia other than by United Kingdom authorities since 2000.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
Since 2000, in accordance with provisions of the 1966 Exchange of Notes, some members of the US Military at Diego Garcia have been confined in accordance with the United States Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any proposals to give debt relief to the Turks and Caicos Islands; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
There are no proposals for the UK to give debt relief to the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are not in receipt of a loan from the British Government. In 2011, the UK provided a loan guarantee worth up to $260 million in response to the Territory’s governance and economic crisis. The British Government expects the Turks and Caicos Islands government to finance its borrowing independently and on an affordable and sustainable basis from the end of 2015/16 without a UK guarantee.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to promote economic growth in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
The Turks and Caicos Islands and other British Overseas Territories are small, open and dynamic economies that offer opportunities for investment and trade. UK Ministers and Territory leaders have agreed, through the Joint Ministerial Council last year, an ambitious practical agenda to support our shared vision for the Territories as vibrant and flourishing communities, proudly retaining aspects of British identity and generating opportunities for their people. This agenda includes working together to promote trade and investment opportunities in the Territories, to deliver on the G8 tax and transparency agenda, and to maintain high standards of governance and rule of law. The EU has recently agreed improved market access for Territory services and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) have opened their overseas market introduction service to Territory companies.
The Government is committed to continuing to build a strong partnership with the Turks and Caicos Islands government to help them develop their economy. Since 2008, the UK has supported far reaching reform, including strengthening of economic governance and the management of public finances, and provided a loan guarantee worth up to $260 million. Further, the UK agreed to proposals for the redevelopment of passenger facilities at Providenciales International Airport. The redevelopment should increase its capacity and improve the customer experience. It is expected to be completed later this year.
The Government is continuing to support reform in the Turks and Caicos Islands, including through a Technical Assistance programme supporting capacity building work across a number of Ministries (budget of £1.5 million in financial year 2014-15).