Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the (a) planning regulations and (b) environmental policies of the Montserrat government have been followed during the development of the new aquatic and sport centre.

The elected Government of Montserrat has devolved constitutional responsibility for planning regulations and environmental policies. The Montserrat Ministry of Health, Education, Community Services, Sports and Youth has the responsibility for securing the relevant planning permission for the project. The Montserrat Development Corporation (MDC) have been sub-contracted to deliver the project. We understand that a planning application has been submitted and construction work will not start before this has been agreed.