Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what standards and safeguards apply to the treatment of prisoners in British Overseas Territories; and what assessment he has made of whether those standards are equivalent to those applied to prisoners in the UK.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Prisons in the Overseas Territories are subject to the local laws and constitutions of each Territory. The Ministry of Justice works with the Overseas Territories to help align the treatment of prisoners with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).
The standards the Overseas Territories operate under are not directly equivalent to those applied to the UK because HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), England and Wales has no formal jurisdiction in the Overseas Territories and the UK is a signatory to relevant international obligations, such as the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture, which the Overseas Territories are not.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, where revenues raised from the Heavy Goods Vehicle Road User Levy have been used in new road infrastructure and transport planning.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The HGV Road User Levy Act 2013 specifies that the levy is paid into the Consolidated Fund. This revenue is then available for general public expenditure, which includes transport investment.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any patients in Montserrat who are (a) naturalised and (b) full British citizens and must travel to the United Kingdom for specialist treatment unavailable locally but fall outside the NHS–Montserrat referral scheme have been (i) denied (A) accommodation and (B) welfare support and (ii) advised to return to Montserrat.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers he was previously provided on these issues on 6 November and 1 December 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has to support alternative methods for nighttime medical evacuation from Montserrat following the decision of the Governor of Montserrat to disallow fixed wing aircraft night medevac operations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers he was previously provided on these issues on 6 November and 1 December 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help (a) reduce the cost of air access to Montserrat and (b) support its transition away from UK Government funding dependence.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers he was previously provided on these issues on 6 November and 1 December 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve emergency medical evacuation and overseas treatment on Montserrat.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers he was previously provided on these issues on 6 November and 1 December 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the development needs of the Overseas Territories have first call on the UK’s Official Development Assistance programme.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to meeting the reasonable needs of the Overseas Territories (OTs) where financial self-sufficiency is not possible. As such, the OTs continue to have the first call on Official Development Assistance to facilitate sustainable economic growth and development.
We have recently informed Montserrat of their new allocation, and I held a positive and constructive call with Premier Meade on 25 March.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of maritime safety, search and rescue capability, and maritime security resources available to the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat; and if she will take steps to ensure that the territory retains an appropriately equipped maritime patrol and rescue vessel in order to meet the UK’s constitutional responsibilities for the security and good governance of the territory and its obligations under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, to protect life at sea.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since 2016 the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has established a programme of activities to improve Montserrat's capacity to meet its international maritime safety and search and rescue (SAR) obligations. Montserrat has three UK-funded multipurpose vessels including two new fast police patrol boats provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office which improve the Royal Montserrat Police Service's capability to respond to maritime threats more efficiently and effectively, as well as fulfilling international obligations in relation to search and rescue.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to meet obligations under Article 73 of the UN Charter in respect of the British Overseas Territories; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) the costs of healthcare, fuel and electricity, (b) quality of infrastructure and (c) levels of hurricane-resilient housing in Montserrat on people in that territory.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK fulfils its responsibilities under Article 73 of the United Nations Charter to promote the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the Overseas Territories. As part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's capital allocation to Montserrat, we are investing in green energy, including solar and resilience works, as well appropriate and safe social housing.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support access to legal assistance for Montserratian citizens residing in Montserrat, in the context of Article 73 of the United Nations Charter.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK fulfils its responsibilities under Article 73 of the United Nations Charter to promote the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the Overseas Territories. As part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's capital allocation to Montserrat, we are investing in green energy, including solar and resilience works, as well appropriate and safe social housing.