Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed suspension of tariffs on fresh bananas on the resilience and diversity of the UK's food supply chain.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A resilient and diverse food supply chain is important for British consumers. To assess the potential impact of the proposed tariff suspensions, announced on 21 May, we invited the public and industry to respond to a call for input. This call for input closed on 24 June and Defra is now working with other Government departments to consider the evidence provided.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the beneficial ownership register in the Turks and Caicos Islands, once implemented, on the ability of the Crown Land Unit and Physical Planning Board in identifying the ultimate owners of companies applying for planning permission or Crown land allocations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the cancellation of the Public-Private Partnership procurement process for the Howard Hamilton International Airport redevelopment on procurement and planning governance in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2026 to Question 114788, what support her Department has offered to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government to ensure value for money and transparent procurement in any future process for the Howard Hamilton International Airport redevelopment; and whether that offer has been taken up.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether new statutory and institutional checks and balances have been introduced in the Turks and Caicos Islands since 2009 to prevent the misuse of ministerial and official discretion over Crown land and planning decisions, beyond the Crown Land Ordinance and the Integrity Commission.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the value of payments and inducements accepted by Michael Misick and his co-defendants; and what proportion of that sum her Department expects to be recovered through confiscation orders following the February 2026 conviction.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost to the UK Government of investigating and prosecuting Michael Misick and his co-defendants through the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team since 2010 by financial year.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of checks and balances on planning permission in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many legal challenges and lawsuits relating to planning applications and Crown land decisions have been brought against the Turks and Caicos Islands Government and the Crown in each of the last ten years; and how many of the legal challenges resulted in a (i) planning permission and (ii) Crown land decision being (a) overturned, (b) varied and (c) upheld on appeal.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what further improvements to the Turks and Caicos Islands' register of beneficial ownership, referred to in the Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July 2025, have been agreed with the Turks and Caicos Islands Government; and what timetable has been set for their implementation.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.
Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.
Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.
We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.