Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the changes proposed by the Cayman Islands government to the National Conservation Law and their implications for standards of governance in the territory; and what discussions they have had with the Cayman Islands government on these issues.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to strengthening our partnership with the Overseas Territories (OTs) to protect and sustainably manage our unique and globally significant environments. However, responsibility for environment and climate change policy is a devolved matter. We understand the Cayman Islands Government's draft National Conservation Bill is not yet finalised but will be published for public consultation before it is debated in Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of proposed changes by the Cayman Islands government to the National Conservation Law on their ability to minimise the effects of climate change in the territory.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is committed to strengthening our partnership with the Overseas Territories to protect and sustainably manage our unique and globally significant environments. However, responsibility for environment and climate change policy is a devolved matter. We understand the Cayman Islands Government's draft National Conservation Bill is not yet finalised but will be published for public consultation before it is debated in Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen the marine protected area surrounding South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) is currently undertaking the second 5-year review of its Marine Protected Area (MPA). The review is considering the effectiveness of the current MPA measures, including whether the underpinning scientific research and monitoring is sufficient, particularly in light of climate change, and whether effective monitoring and surveillance capacity is in place. The review will determine whether additional measures are required to achieve the stated MPA objectives. GSGSSI is committed to reporting on its review by early next year.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have set a date for the Joint Ministerial Council with the Overseas Territories in respect of the meeting postponed in November 2022.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government greatly values the Joint Ministerial Council with the Overseas Territories as the main forum to discuss issues of mutual interest and to agree actions to tackle shared challenges. The next Joint Ministerial Council will be held on 11-12 May 2023.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enable full (1) participation, and (2) attendance, by representatives of each of the UK Overseas Territories at COP26.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK Government is working closely with the Overseas Territories to ensure that their valuable contribution to address the environmental issues they face is featured appropriately during COP26, including in the UK Pavilion. The Overseas Territories are collectively participating in COP26 to showcase their unique biodiversity, environments and marine protected areas.
Representatives of the Overseas Territories will attend COP26. However, the number of attendees from the Overseas Territories is not currently finalised.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK's exit from the EU on funding for conservation and biodiversity projects in the British Virgin Islands.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK Government continues to support conservation and biodiversity projects in the Overseas Territories following the UK's exit from the EU. The UK Government is monitoring the impact of EU Exit on the territories and taking action to mitigate against the impact of loss of EU environmental funding for the Overseas Territories including the British Virgin Islands, through initiatives such as Darwin Plus. Round 9 of Darwin Plus saw a record investment in 31 projects across the Overseas Territories, totalling more than £8m over three years.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development on the delivery of (1) conservation, and (2) environmental, projects overseas.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Tackling climate change in collaboration with international partners remains a high priority for this Government. By aligning our efforts, the creation of the new Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office will allow us to seize the opportunities ahead, as we prepare to take on the G7 presidency and host COP26 next year. Further details on how the new Department's strategic priorities will be implemented, including through a blend of bilateral and multilateral assistance, will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) financial, and (2) other, assistance they have offered each of the UK Overseas Territories as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The safety and security of those in the British Overseas Territories (OTs) is a UK Government priority. Multiple government departments, led by DFID and the FCO, have been working with OT Governments to respond to the pandemic.
It is first and foremost for the OTs to make full use of their financial resources in order to address their needs. The UK Government will consider requests for further support/funding on a case-by-case basis. All UK financial support is subject to robust governance and needs assessments.
To address immediate healthcare, access and security needs, FCO has reallocated £15m of 2020/21 CSSF and £5m of 2020/21 International Programme funds to COVID-19 support. DFID is providing an initial £10m from its budget to mitigate immediate non-health impacts in the three ODA-eligible OTs, and has earmarked an additional £20m to mitigate short to medium term impacts of the outbreak on these OTs.
To date, the UK Government has procured and delivered medical supplies to all the inhabited OTs (except Pitcairn, which has had no confirmed cases of COVID-19), delivered testing systems to 6 territories and boosted testing capabilities in three other OTs. Health professionals from Public Health England are providing advice and support to each OT, and the Government has supported OTs to recruit medical personnel.
MoD and Home Office have provided in-territory security support to Turks and Caicos Islands through a Security Assistance Team and an additional 29 military personnel have reinforced TCI's Maritime Police Unit to counter illegal migration. A further Security Assistance Team is supporting the Cayman Islands to assist planning on security, logistics, COVID-19 and hurricane response. RFA ARGUS arrived in the Caribbean earlier than planned to provide support to the OTs during the hurricane season; she could also provide support for COVID-19 impacts if required.
The UK Government has arranged four flights to the Caribbean, including two paid for by the Cayman Islands Government, and a flight to the South Atlantic, flying residents of the Overseas Territories home from the UK as well as repatriating British Citizens and other nationalities from the Bahamas, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands, the Cayman Islands and St Helena. The Government has also repatriated people from Ascension and the Falkland Islands using regular RAF flights.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK Overseas Territories' marine protected areas are part of the Blue Belt; if not (1) why not, and (2) what plans they have to include those areas in future.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK Overseas Territories' are constitutionally responsible for their marine environments. The Blue Belt programme has supported Territories to designate and manage large-scale protected areas around the British Indian Ocean Territory, South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands, Pitcairn, St Helena, Ascension and within the British Antarctic Territory. The programme is on track to deliver over 4 million square kilometres of protected ocean during this year, with the anticipated future designation of a management regime across Tristan da Cunha's maritime area.
Other Territories indicated that they did not wish to pursue the development of large-scale marine protected areas within their waters though the Blue Belt programme. Many of these Territories have already implemented a range of marine management measures within their waters. Funding from the Blue Belt programme has been used to enhance the annual Darwin Plus initiative, to enable those Territories to bid for funding to undertake local marine projects, which many have done, including projects with the Blue Belt delivery partners.
The next phase of the Blue Belt programme, subject to the comprehensive Spending Review, will seek to expand engagement, and provide broader support for all Territories to protect their marine environment, while further developing sustainable marine economies.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide assistance to projects and programmes in relation to conservation of biodiversity in the UK overseas territories.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Environmental policy is a devolved responsibility, however the UK works in partnership with the Overseas Territories (OTs) to deliver both OT- specific objectives and contribute to wider regional and international environmental commitments of the UK and OTs. The Government has awarded £5.2 million which will be given to 21 projects through the Darwin Plus Scheme for conservation of the unique and globally significant plants and animals that reside in UK Overseas Territories.
There are a number of funding streams available to the British Overseas Territories to support the protection and management of their natural resources including Darwin Plus (also known as The Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund), an environmental funding stream with an annual budget of £10 million from 2021. Funding from the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund has also provided funding from 2016-2021 for a number of environmental projects including the Blue Belt of marine protection around the OTs, assessing Natural Capital, implementing actions plans to protect fragile coral reefs and non-native species/biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful species to new environments.
The UK Government's call for evidence undertaken in 2019 sought to identify how government funds can achieve greater impact in protecting the rich biodiversity of the OTs, and how funding can deliver better value for money in meeting environmental commitments in the future. Responses to this call will inform the upcoming comprehensive spending review.