Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to support counter-terrorist training for police officers in the British Overseas Territories.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Home Office International Police Assistance Service (IPAS) carry out due diligence on all Section 26 police deployment requests for international advice and assistance (whether Counter Terrorist related or otherwise).
If the requests pass the due diligence process, IPAS will then authorise the police deployments on behalf of the Home Secretary. Having reviewed all such referrals contained on the IPAS Platform (an electronic central repository of all S26 referrals) we can confirm that there is no counter-terrorist training being delivered for police officers and staff in the British Overseas Territories.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) training and (b) support the National Crime Agency is providing in the British Overseas Territories.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The National Crime Agency works closely with other UK Government Departments, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Home Office to deliver training and build capacity in overseas jurisdictions.
Most recently the National Crime Agency has taken part in an exchange of best practice with the British Overseas Territories that have INTERPOL Sub Bureaus. The National Crime Agency has bilateral relationships with many of the British Overseas Territories and works closely with the International Police Assistance Service to ascertain which Agency is best placed to provide support.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that British overseas territories nationals are security vetted to national standards.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
All individuals who hold UK National Security Clearance (NSV) are vetted to a consistent standard based on central policy set by the Cabinet Office. The level of clearance required is assessed by the sponsoring department or organisation subject to the particular role and responsibilities and access to sensitive assets required for the post.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the British Overseas Territories on tackling tax evasion in those territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
British Overseas Territories (OTs) with financial centres are committed to meeting international standards on tax transparency. They have committed to adhere to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Inclusive Framework and Global Forum standards, including the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting minimum standards. Officials in HM Treasury and FCDO have a programme of regular engagement with OTs to discuss implementation of these standards and wider international tax policy. For example, since Easter 2024, such discussions have taken place with Anguilla, Cayman, Gibraltar, Montserrat, and Turks and Caicos.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, how many terrorism incidents have been declared in (a) the Turks and Caicos Islands, (b) Bermuda and (c) the Cayman Islands in each of the last five years.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There have been no reported terrorist incidents in (a) the Turks and Caicos Islands, (b) Bermuda or (c) the Cayman Islands in each of the last five years. We are working with the authorities to increase local capacity to respond to threats to security.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent progress his Department has made on the introduction of public registers of ownership by British overseas territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In March, the UK and Overseas Territories discussed their commitments and timelines to implement public registers, either accessible to all members of the public or with access predicated on 'legitimate interest'. I [Minister Rutley] re-stated the UK's expectation that where public access is predicated on 'legitimate interest' this will include media and civil society, among others, and is an interim step to access for all members of the public. The FCDO is funding expert NGO, Open Ownership, to provide technical assistance to expedite implementation; they are providing advice to the governments of Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman, Montserrat, St. Helena, and Turks and Caicos. Officials are conducting a stocktake of progress.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had recent discussions with the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands on the disappearance of Sarm Heslop.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
His Majesty's Consul General Miami has raised the disappearance of British woman, Sarm Heslop with the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories) was due to speak to the Governor earlier this month and is seeking a call with the Governor at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 2 May 2024 to Question 23506 on British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies: Companies, whether his Department plans to set a timetable for the introduction of public registers of beneficial ownership in the Overseas Territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In December, I [Minister Rutley] laid a Written Statement (HCWS150) that outlined Overseas Territories' commitments and timelines to implement public registers, either public registers accessible to all members of the public or public registers with access predicated on 'legitimate interest'. We are providing technical and financial assistance to expedite implementation in 2024 of these public registers. Where public access is predicated on 'legitimate interest' I have clearly stated to OT Governments the UK's expectation that this will be expansive, including media and civil society, among others, and an interim step to providing access to all members of the public in due course.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what his (a) process and (b) timetable is for engaging with (i) governments and (ii) elected representatives on his Department's upcoming strategy refresh on the Overseas Territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, working with other UK Government departments, is leading the development of a refreshed strategy for the Overseas Territories (OTs) to be published in 2024. The strategy will set clear direction and renewed aims for the UK Government across each of the following themes: economies, environment and climate, defence and security, governance, and communities. As set out in the December 2023 UK-OT Joint Declaration, the strategy is being developed through collaboration with the Territories. Consultations across the strategy themes are ongoing and are being delivered through engagement with OT governments, the OTs' representatives in the UK, Governors, and other key stakeholders.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of taking steps to increase the (a) recruitment and (b) training of immigration solicitors and advisors in Wales.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) monitors supply across its legal aid contracts on an ongoing basis and, where demand is greater than the available supply, takes action within its operational powers to secure additional provision to ensure the continuity of legal aid-funded services. The LAA is satisfied that there is adequate provision of services in Wales across all categories of legal aid.
Once implemented, individuals who receive a removal notice under the Illegal Migration Act (IMA) will have access to free legal advice in relation to the removal notice.
We are setting fees for IMA work at 15% above the usual hourly rate to help augment capacity so we can meet the anticipated increase in demand for legal aid advice.
We have taken a number of steps to help increase access to legal aid for immigration and asylum cases across England and Wales. For example, we are providing up to £1.4m of funding in 2024 for accreditation and reaccreditation of senior caseworkers to conduct immigration and asylum legal aid work.
In 2019, we brought non-asylum immigration and citizenship matters into scope for under 18s who are not in the care of a parent, guardian, or legal authority. This means, for example, that a separated migrant child making an application for entry clearance, leave to enter, or to remain in the United Kingdom, or an application for registration as a British citizen or as a British subject, or for registration as a British overseas territories citizen or a British Overseas citizen is now entitled to legal aid, subject to the means and merits tests.
The ongoing Review of Civil Legal Aid is considering the broader economic context of the civil legal aid market as a whole, including for immigration cases, so that it can operate sustainably in the long-term. we are due to publish a Green Paper in July 2024.