Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the membership of the UN Special Committee on Decolonization on the decisions that it makes in respect of UK overseas territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government continues to believe the UN Special Committee on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (Special Committee) is outdated and no longer has a relevant role to play with respect to the UK Overseas Territories.
For those Territories with permanent populations who wish it, the Government will continue to support requests for the removal of the Territory from the United Nations list of 'non-self-governing Territories'. Furthermore, the Government supports the right of the people of the Overseas Territories to address the Special Committee directly. In 2025, the UK has supported representatives from the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, and the British Virgin Islands to appear at the Special Committee's annual considerations of their respective Territories.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36916 on British Overseas Territories: Companies, what discussions he has had with the British Virgin Islands government on the reasons why it did not implement a register of beneficial ownership by the end of June 2025.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) committed to implement a register of beneficial ownership accessible to those with a legitimate interest offering the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst containing the necessary safeguards to protect the right to privacy in line with its constitution, by June 2025.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have been in regular contact with the BVI to press for improvements to its register and to ensure that it meets its JMC commitment. The BVI published an updated policy on its register on 23 June. In my discussions with Premier Wheatley, I will continue to make clear the importance of further improvements in the BVI's proposal, as well as timely delivery of the register. My Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July provides further details of the next steps.
I have raised this issue on a number of occasions recently with the Premier both bilaterally and in the context of wider meetings with OT leaders. I look forward to meeting him again in person soon to raise this and other matters. Our expectations remain the same.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department plans to provide to each of the Overseas Territories in each of the next five years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) recently received its Spending Review (SR) settlement from the Treasury for the three years of the SR period (FY26/27 to FY28/29). Final decisions on funding for the Overseas Territories (OTs) in each of these years is subject to the FCDO's post-SR settlement multi-year internal allocations process which is expected to conclude later this year.
In the current financial year (25/26) the FCDO is providing up to £168.37 million of programme funding to the OTs:
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 59107 on Defence: Finance, if he will specify the total financial quantum of the elements of the FCDO’s programming budget referred to.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)'s non-Official Development Assistance budget primarily funds operating costs, including the UK's diplomatic capability, 24/7 consular services and rapid crisis response to support British nationals worldwide. The settlement also supports the FCDO's priorities across security, growth, migration and the UK's relationship with Europe, alongside constitutional obligations to the Overseas Territories. A portion of this funding will contribute to the UK's NATO-attributed defence spending, including FCDO-led programming in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Intelligence Community to counter cyber-attacks, election interference, disinformation and other threats to stability. The amount of the FCDO contribution is being worked though. It will not be included in the Defence budget for 2027.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 59107 on Defence: Finance, whether the elements of FCDO’s programming budget will be formally included in the defence budget for 2027.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)'s non-Official Development Assistance budget primarily funds operating costs, including the UK's diplomatic capability, 24/7 consular services and rapid crisis response to support British nationals worldwide. The settlement also supports the FCDO's priorities across security, growth, migration and the UK's relationship with Europe, alongside constitutional obligations to the Overseas Territories. A portion of this funding will contribute to the UK's NATO-attributed defence spending, including FCDO-led programming in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Intelligence Community to counter cyber-attacks, election interference, disinformation and other threats to stability. The amount of the FCDO contribution is being worked though. It will not be included in the Defence budget for 2027.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the British Overseas Territories to enforce sanctions against Venezuela.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 10 January, the UK sanctioned 15 new individuals associated with Maduro's contested regime responsible for undermining democracy and committing serious human rights violations. The UK and Overseas Territories Governments work closely to apply UK sanctions across the Territories. The UK Government has been providing technical support to teams across the Overseas Territory Governments to build capability and to strengthen sanctions enforcement.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57799 on Electric Vehicles: Exports, whether the environmental contribution made by British-manufactured electric vehicles exported overseas counts towards UK climate target figures.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK follows the agreed international approach for estimating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, which is for countries to report emissions produced within their territories. On this basis, emissions savings generated by the use of British-manufactured electric vehicles overseas do not count towards the UK’s reported emissions.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential merits of extending British National (Overseas) nationality status to BN(O) visa holders' dependents residing in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Those with BN(O) status and their eligible family members can come to the UK to live, study and work in virtually any capacity, on a pathway to citizenship. The UK committed in the Joint Declaration that no person would acquire British Dependent Territories citizen (BDTC) status (the precursor to BN(O) status) on or after 1 July 1997. Therefore, there are no plans to change this mechanism.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the proposed EU security and defence partnership, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed third-state rules on UK foreign policy autonomy in (a) Gibraltar, (b) the Falkland Islands and (c) other overseas territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is sovereign over its Overseas Territories (OTs) and is responsible for their external affairs, defence, and security. The UK is proud of the significant role the OTs play to support the UK's, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization's, global security and defence objectives. The Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) will in no way impact that significant role, nor will it affect the security and defence relationship between the UK and our Overseas Territories. Furthermore, the SDP does not impact existing or future cooperation between European Union partners and UK Overseas Territories across the globe. The SDP is clear that UK Overseas Territories can be included in future arrangements or agreements.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 50828 on Saint Helena: Politics and Government, how many constitutions of the Overseas Territories other than Saint Helena contain a provision that gives their governor special responsibility for finance; and for what reason a provision giving the governor of St Helena special responsibility for finance has been retained in its constitution.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The special responsibilities of Governors varies between each Overseas Territory constitution, including, where relevant, in relation to finance-related responsibilities. Some constitutions, particularly on islands with small populations, confer powers on Governors in respect of finance, including in St Helena.