Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Typhoon aircraft are based in the Falkland Islands; and what tranche of Typhoon aircraft these are.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There are four RAF Typhoon aircraft permanently stationed in the Falkland Islands. The details on Tranche are held at a higher classification.
Asked by: Thérèse Coffey (Conservative - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2024 to Question 21017 on Darwin Plus, if he will provide a breakdown of Darwin Plus fund projects funded since 2019.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 April to Question 21017, a summary of Darwin Plus projects funded since 2019, broken down by Territory, can be found below. These figures include the latest awards from Rounds 12 of Darwin Plus Main and Fellowships, Round 1 of Darwin Plus Strategic, and Round 3 of Darwin Plus Local.
Overseas Territory | Grant Funding from 2019 - 2024 |
Anguilla | £4,818,639.72 |
Bermuda | £961,876.60 |
British Antarctic Territory | £1,368,375.75 |
British Indian Ocean Territory | £1,695,969.14 |
British Virgin Islands | £4,652,346.29 |
Cayman Islands | £4,152,086.03 |
Falkland Islands | £3,789,195.36 |
Gibraltar | £319,343.10 |
Montserrat | £2,842,585.69 |
Pitcairn, Henderson, Oeno and Ducie Islands | £423,105.00 |
St Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha | £6,486,241.84 |
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands | £5,278,964.75 |
Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia | £1,883,252.50 |
Turks and Caicos Islands | £4,120,137.14 |
Asked by: Robert Buckland (Conservative - South Swindon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the air defences of the Falkland Islands in the context of the recent procurement by Argentina of F-16 jets from Denmark.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We keep our defence posture in the South Atlantic under regular review to take account of the full range of developments. I am satisfied that the current military presence in the South Atlantic is at the appropriate level to ensure the defence of the Islands.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of Argentina's acquisition of F-16 fighter aircraft.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Argentina's purchase of F-16 fighter jets does not change the UK Government's policies in relation to either Argentina or the Falkland Islands.
The UK is committed to upholding the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination. As long as the Falkland Islanders wish to remain part of the UK family, there can be no discussions on sovereignty.
The UK undertakes regular assessments of possible threats so that our forces in the South Atlantic, which are entirely defensive, are maintained at the appropriate level to ensure the defence of the Falkland Islands.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed joint military base in Ushuaia on the security of the Falkland Islands.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We keep our defence posture in the South Atlantic under regular review, to take account of the full range of developments. I am satisfied that the current military presence in the South Atlantic is at the appropriate level to ensure the defence of the Islands.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the speech by the President of Argentina of 2 April 2024.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to upholding the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination. As the Foreign Secretary made clear on his recent visit to the Falkland Islands, as long as the Islanders want to remain part of the UK family, there can be no discussions on sovereignty. The UK looks forward to developing a constructive relationship with Argentina where we can agree to disagree politely on the issue of the Falkland Islands, whilst restarting mutually beneficial co-operation on areas of shared interest.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his European Union counterparts on the July 2023 summit declaration between the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States that referred to the Falklands Islands as Islas Malvinas.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We engage in multilateral and bilateral fora, including with the European Union and its Member States, in support of the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination. Following publication of the EU - Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit communiqué, the EU publicly clarified their position has not changed. We will, in all fora at which the UK is present, continue to insist on the use of the name that the Islanders recognise and wish to use: the Falkland Islands. This reflects the UK's unequivocal commitment to upholding the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination, including in our discussions with the EU and its Member States.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2024 to Question 18074 on Falkland Islands: Ports, whether the Falkland Islands Government sought advice from his Department prior to the awarding of a contract to Harland & Wolff to support delivery of a port facility.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office played no role in Harland & Wolff being named as the preferred bidder for the delivery of a new port facility in Stanley. Further to my answer of 15 March 2024 to written PQ 18074, any potential redevelopment of the port facility in Stanley is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government and the awarding of contracts for the redevelopment of the port is a commercial matter between the Falkland Islands Government and the companies involved.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Argentine Foreign Ministry's reaction to the the Foreign Secretary’s visit to the Falkland Islands in February 2024.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK position and ongoing support for the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination remains unchanged. As the Foreign Secretary made clear on his recent visit to the Falkland Islands and in his meeting with Argentine Foreign Minister Mondino at the G20 in February, as long as the Islanders wish to remain part of the UK family, there can be no discussions on sovereignty. At their meeting on 17 January, the Foreign Secretary and President Milei discussed how to enhance UK-Argentina relations through greater cooperation on areas of mutual interest including trade, education, culture and enhancing people to people links. On the Falkland Islands, the Foreign Secretary and President Milei said they would agree to disagree, and do so politely.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has had discussions with the Falkland Islands Government on the awarding of a contract to Harland & Wolff to support delivery of a port facility.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is proud of the expertise offered by British companies such as Harland and Wolff.
As a self-governing UK Overseas Territory, any potential redevelopment of the port facility in Stanley is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government. The awarding of contracts for the redevelopment of the port is a commercial matter between the Falkland Islands Government and the companies involved.