Asked by: Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the Falkland Islands on the potential impact of trade tariffs on its economy.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are proud of the bond that the United Kingdom shares with the Falkland Islands as part of one Great British family, and we deeply value the relationship between our governments.
I was pleased to speak with the new Assembly within a week of their election, and my officials have been engaging with the new representatives on their priorities, one of which is obviously trade.
It is a matter of fact that the Brexit deal reached by the party opposite excluded the Overseas Territories, and we recognise the challenges EU trade tariffs pose for the Falkland Islands economy. But we are working with the Department for Business and Trade to promote Falklands trade in the UK and other markets.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's press release published on 12 January 2026 entitled UK and Ecuador join forces to tackle cocaine trade at source, what recent assessment has she made of the potential impact of bilateral cooperation with Ecuador to reduce the export of drugs to the UK on the level of criminal activity in the UK.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government is concerned by the impact that drug trafficking from South America, particularly cocaine trafficking, is having in the UK and its Overseas Territories. Tackling the supply of drugs remains a priority for this Government and will play a critical role in making our streets safer, including delivering our mission to halve knife crime over the next decade.
Ecuador is a key smuggling route for cocaine ending up on UK streets, making joint action essential as part of the UK’s end-to-end approach, including working with law enforcement partners internationally, and at the UK border to tackle the gangs responsible for drug trafficking. Home Office International Operations and UK law enforcement are stationed in Ecuador with officers providing training, equipment and support to enhance the capabilities of Ecuadorian law enforcement – better preventing cocaine from reaching British borders.
In 2024, in Ecuador alone, Home Office International supported the seizure of nearly 95 out of the 300 tonnes seized by police. In May 2025, the UK and Ecuador signed a memorandum of understanding, cementing both countries’ commitment to dismantling and disrupting violent criminal networks, which threaten the safety of communities in Britain and South America alike.
Funding for UK law enforcement activity and support in Ecuador is provided via the Integrated Security Fund, Home Office Drug Strategy funding and law enforcement agency budgets.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's press release published on 12 January 2026 entitled UK and Ecuador join forces to tackle cocaine trade at source, what estimate has she made of the cost to UK police forces and other law enforcement organisations of providing training to Ecuador to prevent the export of drugs.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government is concerned by the impact that drug trafficking from South America, particularly cocaine trafficking, is having in the UK and its Overseas Territories. Tackling the supply of drugs remains a priority for this Government and will play a critical role in making our streets safer, including delivering our mission to halve knife crime over the next decade.
Ecuador is a key smuggling route for cocaine ending up on UK streets, making joint action essential as part of the UK’s end-to-end approach, including working with law enforcement partners internationally, and at the UK border to tackle the gangs responsible for drug trafficking. Home Office International Operations and UK law enforcement are stationed in Ecuador with officers providing training, equipment and support to enhance the capabilities of Ecuadorian law enforcement – better preventing cocaine from reaching British borders.
In 2024, in Ecuador alone, Home Office International supported the seizure of nearly 95 out of the 300 tonnes seized by police. In May 2025, the UK and Ecuador signed a memorandum of understanding, cementing both countries’ commitment to dismantling and disrupting violent criminal networks, which threaten the safety of communities in Britain and South America alike.
Funding for UK law enforcement activity and support in Ecuador is provided via the Integrated Security Fund, Home Office Drug Strategy funding and law enforcement agency budgets.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential security implications for British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean following the US’s intervention in Venezuela.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The UK Government is committed to safeguarding the security of all our Overseas Territories, including those in the Caribbean. The Ministry of Defence undertakes regular assessments of the requirements for Defence support to those Overseas Territories.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to strengthen the UK’s preparedness, in coordination with NATO allies, for threats to the security of British Overseas Territories.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence remains firmly committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the United Kingdom and its Overseas Territories. In line with our obligations and strategic priorities, we continue to take steps to strengthen preparedness against emerging threats, working closely with NATO allies and other international partners.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the use of Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories as safe havens for ultra-high net worth individuals with significant political exposure; and how they are enforcing any preventative efforts.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Corruption and illicit finance undermine effective governance in the UK and penalise legitimate UK businesses overseas.
While the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories are distinct, largely self-governing jurisdictions with elected governments responsible for their own domestic affairs, the UK Government is committed to working with these international financial centres to tackle corruption and prevent money laundering.
The Home Office and the Foreign Office work with the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories to help strengthen their approaches to beneficial ownership transparency. The Government’s ultimate expectation remains the introduction of publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership registers; however, the steps they are taking to implement legitimate interest access to their registers are welcome. Minister Doughty recently met with the Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council; the communique, which was published on November 28 2025, outlines the Overseas Territories’ progress.
This remains a priority for the UK government, reflected in a commitment within the recently published 2025 Anti-Corruption Strategy to strengthen beneficial ownership transparency across the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories.
The UK also supports the Crown Dependencies and all Overseas Territories with financial centres commitment to uphold international tax standards, including the tax transparency framework and the BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) Framework.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer given on 06 November 2025 (86606), what specific actions his department has taken to ensure that citizens of an Overseas British Territory are not deprived of housing and subsistence whilst resident in the UK.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
You can find information about eligibility for housing assistance in England in Chapter 7 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance, which is published on gov.uk here.
Access to public funds depends on whether the individual is British Citizen or not, and what visa the individual has. Further guidance can be found here.
DWP cannot pay public funds benefits to individuals where the Home Office has applied a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition to their immigration status.
Everyone arriving or returning to the UK, including British Nationals, are subject to DWP’s residency tests in order to access public funds and benefits, unless an exemption applies.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
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 the (a) compliance of the British Virgin Islands in tackling illicit finance, sanctions evasion and corruption and (b) measures that Territory has implemented in those areas.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to supporting our Overseas Territories (OTs) - including the British Virgin Islands and other Caribbean partners - to tackle a range of regional challenges, including violent crime, illicit finance and organised immigration crime.
Since July 2024, the UK has provided over £20 million in security support to the Caribbean OTs, including armed police and investigators to support OT police forces, new patrol vessels, coastal radar systems, and police drones.
Details of our latest discussions with the OTs at the Joint Ministerial Council were set out on GOV.UK on 28 November 2025, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-and-overseas-territories-joint-ministerial-council-2025-communique
I most recently discussed regional security issues with Caribbean OT Premiers and Governors on 6 January 2026 and we continue to work with them closely. I work closely with Ministers across His Majesty's Government to deliver on UK responsibilities to Caribbean OTs, through our OT Ministerial Security Board and regular ministerial and official level discussions.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what operational and financial support she has provided to Caribbean Overseas Territories to tackle illegal migration; on what dates that support was delivered; and what discussions she has had with those Territories on the adequacy of that support.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to supporting our Overseas Territories (OTs) - including the British Virgin Islands and other Caribbean partners - to tackle a range of regional challenges, including violent crime, illicit finance and organised immigration crime.
Since July 2024, the UK has provided over £20 million in security support to the Caribbean OTs, including armed police and investigators to support OT police forces, new patrol vessels, coastal radar systems, and police drones.
Details of our latest discussions with the OTs at the Joint Ministerial Council were set out on GOV.UK on 28 November 2025, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-and-overseas-territories-joint-ministerial-council-2025-communique
I most recently discussed regional security issues with Caribbean OT Premiers and Governors on 6 January 2026 and we continue to work with them closely. I work closely with Ministers across His Majesty's Government to deliver on UK responsibilities to Caribbean OTs, through our OT Ministerial Security Board and regular ministerial and official level discussions.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support she has provided to Caribbean Overseas Territories to strengthen security and tackle organised crime in the region; and how she assesses the effectiveness of that support.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to supporting our Overseas Territories (OTs) - including the British Virgin Islands and other Caribbean partners - to tackle a range of regional challenges, including violent crime, illicit finance and organised immigration crime.
Since July 2024, the UK has provided over £20 million in security support to the Caribbean OTs, including armed police and investigators to support OT police forces, new patrol vessels, coastal radar systems, and police drones.
Details of our latest discussions with the OTs at the Joint Ministerial Council were set out on GOV.UK on 28 November 2025, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-and-overseas-territories-joint-ministerial-council-2025-communique
I most recently discussed regional security issues with Caribbean OT Premiers and Governors on 6 January 2026 and we continue to work with them closely. I work closely with Ministers across His Majesty's Government to deliver on UK responsibilities to Caribbean OTs, through our OT Ministerial Security Board and regular ministerial and official level discussions.