Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the individual project components of (a) the Overseas Territories: Justice, Security and Governance (JSG) Programme and (b) Overseas Territories: Maritime Governance and Environment Programme.

In 2018-19, the Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) Overseas Territories’ Justice, Security and Governance (JSG) Programme worked with relevant Government Departments and Overseas Territories (OTs) Governments to support a range of areas including law enforcement, prisons, child safeguarding, criminal justice, public health, public sector reform and disaster resilience. Progress against objectives has included post-hurricane infrastructure projects for prisons in Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands; provision of a fit-for-purpose counter-terrorism training facility for the Royal Gibraltar Police Force and inclusion of OTs in INTERPOL’s Ballistic Identification Network (IBIN) to support the tackling of gun crime. It also included: support to Chief Medical Officers on the control of vector-borne diseases; development of a multi-agency approach in responding to sexual assaults; and a threat analysis and needs assessment on maritime and border security to prevent drug- and people-trafficking and tackle serious and organised crime.

The Maritime Governance and Environment Programme works with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, UK Home Office, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to deliver a range of projects including the Blue Belt, which is on track to deliver the UK’s commitment to protect over 4 million km² of waters around the OTs by 2020. The CSSF has been working alongside OT governments and administrations to ensure these Marine Protected Areas are properly managed, monitored and enforced. Work has been undertaken in the OTs to progress effective maritime legislation in preparation for the International Maritime Organisation Audit 2020; update seabed mapping and navigation products; improve compliance on vessel safety; and deliver training and equipment to support and maintain an effective search and rescue capability and pollution response. Gap analysis and targeted support increase OT capability to tackle the threat posed by invasive non-native species and improve the evidence base on environmental issues across the OTs. Both the FCO and CSSF will produce Annual Reports which will cover support provided to the OTs with a full finance update.