Asked by: Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are offering each of the British Overseas Territories in building cyber-resilience, broken down by territory.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since 2019 HMG has been working with British Overseas Territories to build cyber resilience. Cyber risk reviews have been completed in six British Overseas Territories (Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, St Helena and Turks and Caicos Islands) with two more scheduled this financial year. The UK has also established an Overseas Territories cyber community which provides access to expertise and specialist training from the UK.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the tourism industry in the Falkland Islands and its territorial waters.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As a self-governing Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, management of the tourism industry is the prerogative of the Falkland Islands Government and their local elected leaders. According to statistics published by the Falkland Islands Tourism Board, there were over 60,000 tourists arriving on the Falkland Islands, drawn by the Territory's many attractions, including its unique wildlife and history. The UK Government's provision of sufficient COVID-19 vaccines to the Falkland Islands to protect the whole community helped support the Falkland Islanders safe reopening of the islands for leisure travel and we continue to support Falkland Islanders in representing their home overseas, for example at Expo Prado in Montevideo in September 2023.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to the government of the Falkland Islands to assist with the provision of mental health services for young people.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care works with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, to provide health system support to all Overseas Territories, including the Falkland Islands.
The public health programme, led by UKHSA, has undertaken several initiatives related to youth mental health which the Falkland Islands have benefitted from, including: an upcoming project with experts in the United Kingdom to deliver support to Overseas Territories in designing and delivering a campaign to improve awareness and understanding of mental health and reduce stigma and discrimination in the community;regular sharing of the latest public health publications, reports and initiatives from the UK and around the world with colleagues in all Overseas Territories, some of which relate to mental health, such as the Every Mind Matters initiative; and establishing networks of health professionals, including clinical psychologists, health promotion leads, psychiatric nurses and school nurses, across the Overseas Territories.
The networks are a means of peer support for isolated health professionals and an effective approach for sharing good practice in what works in remote island contexts. The Falkland Islands have taken an active role in this network.
Asked by: James Daly (Conservative - Bury North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with which (a) foreign countries and (b) administrative regions of foreign countries that issue their own driving licences his Department has an agreement for mutual recognition of documents; and whether his Department is taking steps to reach such agreement with other countries and regions.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The UK continues to exchange and recognise licences originating from all European Economic Area (EEA) countries. Arrangements are in place with all EEA countries for the recognition and exchange of the vast majority of GB licences.
Outside of the EEA, mutual driving licence exchange agreements are in place with the following designated countries:
Andorra | Gibraltar | South Africa |
Australia | Hong Kong | Switzerland |
Barbados | Japan | Taiwan |
British Virgin Islands | Monaco | Ukraine |
Canada | New Zealand | United Arab Emirates |
Cayman Islands | Republic of Korea | Zimbabwe |
Falkland Islands | Republic of North Macedonia |
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Faroe Islands | Singapore |
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Work is currently progressing on arrangements with a further seven countries:
Albania | Moldova | Sri Lanka |
Kosovo | San Marino |
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Malaysia | Serbia |
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I also recently met with an official delegation from Kenya to discuss existing arrangements with them as well.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
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 adequacy of the Falkland Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether that Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government of the Falkland Islands (FIG) has committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).
FIG is identifying the necessary modifications to its legislative regime to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How the Falkland Islands seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.
FIG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of ongoing constraints on capacity and expertise. The UK Government is providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with the Falkland Islands and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.
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 assessment he has made of the potential impact of seabed mining in the territorial waters of the Falkland Islands on the local fishing industry.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As a self-governing Overseas Territory, responsibility for economic development, including any potential seabed mining, is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government, in accordance with all relevant laws. The UK Government supports the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit. This is an integral part of their right of self-determination. The UK Government continues to work closely with the Falkland Islands Government in a wide range of areas, including offering access to UK expertise when requested.
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, whether his Department is taking steps to help tackle unlawful fishing in the territorial waters of the Falkland Islands.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As a self-governing UK Overseas Territory, the Falkland Islands Government is responsible for managing the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Falkland Islands, including managing fisheries in a way that maintains healthy fish stocks. The Falkland Islands Government operates a Fisheries Protection Vessel - the FPV Lilibet - to prevent illegal fishing in their territorial waters and the Falkland Islands Government Air Service conducts regular aerial patrols of the EEZ. HMG officials have a good working relationship with the Falkland Islands Government on issues of mutual interest, including the fishing occurring in its national waters and the international waters near its EEZ.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
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 implications for his policies of the European Union's decision to refer to the Falklands Islands as Islas Malvinas.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since 1965 the United Nations has mandated the double nomenclature of "Falkland Islands / Islas Malvinas" in UN-issued documentation and a number of countries have chosen to follow suit. In all fora at which the UK is present, the UK will continue to insist on the use of the name that the Islanders recognise and wish to use: the Falkland Islands. The UK remains committed to defending the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination and is unequivocal, including with the EU and its Member States, that there can be no discussions on sovereignty unless the Falkland Islanders wish. Following publication of the EU - Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit communiqué, the UK expressed its disappointment that the EU noted CELAC's position on the Islands. The EU publicly clarified their position has not changed.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings they have arranged with the EU following the EU–CELAC Declaration of 18 July and the statement it included on the Falkland Islands.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is unequivocal, including with the EU and its Member States, that there can be no discussions on sovereignty unless the Falkland Islanders wish. In a referendum in 2013, the Islanders overwhelmingly decided to remain part of the UK family. Ahead of the EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit, the UK engaged with the EU, at senior official and Ministerial level, to underline the risks that any language on the Falklands would be misrepresented by Argentina as the EU taking a position on the issue. Following publication of the Summit communique we again engaged to express our disappointment at the language used, and to request that the EU publicly clarify that their position has not changed, and that they do not endorse the Argentinian position. They have since done so.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the EU following the EU–CELAC Declaration of 18 July and the statement it included on the Falkland Islands.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is unequivocal, including with the EU and its Member States, that there can be no discussions on sovereignty unless the Falkland Islanders wish. In a referendum in 2013, the Islanders overwhelmingly decided to remain part of the UK family. Ahead of the EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit, the UK engaged with the EU, at senior official and Ministerial level, to underline the risks that any language on the Falklands would be misrepresented by Argentina as the EU taking a position on the issue. Following publication of the Summit communique we again engaged to express our disappointment at the language used, and to request that the EU publicly clarify that their position has not changed, and that they do not endorse the Argentinian position. They have since done so.