Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to set out in detail the Anti-Corruption Champion’s proposals concerning the development of tourism sectors in the British Overseas Territories; whether the territories were consulted before these recommendations were made or the related strategy launched; to what extent the success of such proposals depends on overseas territory participation; and whether His Majesty’s Treasury will provide financial or technical assistance to support their implementation.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK Government has regular discussions with the Overseas Territories (OTs) about ways in which they can strengthen and diversify their economies, attract increased investment, and improve transparency. The Anti-Corruption Champion's remarks on economic development, including opportunities in the tourism sector, are a welcome contribution to those discussions.
At the 2025 Joint Ministerial Council, we discussed with the OTs the infrastructure and credit finance offer from UK Export Finance (UKEF), and organised a business engagement session delivered with British Expertise International to enhance trade and investment links. We will continue to work in partnership with the OTs and consider requests for technical assistance, capacity building support, or, where eligible, financial instruments such as those available through UKEF. We remain committed to supporting the OTs in strengthening their economic resilience, and delivering sustainable long-term prosperity.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support, if any, they have provided to the British Virgin Islands in developing and implementing their public beneficial ownership registers.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
HMG has supported Overseas Territories (OT), including the British Virgin Islands, with the development and implementation of accessible registers of beneficial ownership by offering and providing clear requirements and expectations, legal analysis, legislative drafting support, technical workshops and by funding an expert non-governmental organisation (NGO), Open Ownership, to provide tailored support as necessary. Some OTs have received direct funding to help establish their registers, and we remain open to further requests. Minister Doughty's Written Ministerial Statement of 13 Jan 2026 provides an update on latest progress and agreements on next steps. The Government's ultimate expectation remains for the OTs to implement fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to update the strategy set out in the White Paper, The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability, published in June 2012.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
As per my written ministerial statement of 13 January (HLWS1237), the Joint Ministerial Council meeting in November 2025 agreed that the 2012 White Paper continues to serve as the foundation of the UK-Overseas Territories modern partnership, complemented by recent statements and agreements. The UK Government intends to develop a charter to underscore and refresh commitments around how the UK Government engages with the Overseas Territories as well as Compacts with those Overseas Territories which wish to agree them.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will take steps to assist British citizens living overseas to access vaccination for covid-19.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is closely following other countries' plans to roll out vaccines. We are keeping British Nationals updated on what healthcare options are available to them and how they can receive a vaccine locally through Travel Advice pages and 'Living In' guides on gov.uk. In addition, the UK is playing a leading international role to ensure global access to vaccines, including by contributing the equivalent of £330m a year, totalling £1.65bn, for the next five years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance that provides equitable access to safe and effective vaccines for 190 economies.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to review Government advice on all but essential travel before the introduction of the Test to Release for International Travel scheme.
Answered by Nigel Adams
From 5 November, the FCDO moved away from advising against all non-essential international travel, returning to country specific advice. We retained advice against all but essential travel to a number of countries based on risks due to Covid-19. FCDO travel advice remains under constant review and considers both the epidemiological and non-epidemiological risks associated with Covid-19 in each destination. When the FCDO no longer assesses the risks to British nationals to be unacceptably high, travel advice is updated accordingly.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in Latvia and Lithuania on Holocaust revisionism.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Foreign Secretary has not had any recent discussions with his counterparts in Latvia and Lithuania on Holocaust revisionism. They meet regularly to discuss the full range of bilateral issues. Our Embassies in Latvia and Lithuania attend ceremonies remembering the victims of the Holocaust.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Turkish counterparts on antisemitism.
Answered by Alan Duncan
There have been a number of recent protests targeting synagogues in Turkey, reportedly in response to the situation at the Al Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem in July. These were condemned by both President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Yıldırım, who emphasised the importance of freedom of religion. As a friend and ally of Turkey, the UK has a frank and honest dialogue with the Turkish authorities on a range of issues, including freedom of religion and non-discrimination.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in Saudia Arabia on antisemitism.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK Government strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief. Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country due to restrictions on the freedom of religion or belief and we raise this at every appropriate opportunity.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what dates he or his predecessors met the Ambassadors to the UK of the ASEAN countries in the last five years.
Answered by Lord Swire
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and his predecessor, the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) have met ASEAN Ambassadors to the UK a number of times in the last five years. The full information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
In the last year, the Foreign Secretary met the Singapore High Commissioner on the 21 October during the State Visit by the President of Singapore. The former Foreign Secretary met the Indonesian Ambassador to the UK during his visit to Indonesia on 28-29 January 2014 and the Philippine Ambassador to the UK during his visit to the Philippines on 29-30 January 2014.
As the Minister responsible for our relations with Asia, I have held meetings in the past year with: the Philippine Ambassador on 10 December 2013; the Burmese Ambassador on 7 April 2014; the Bruneian High Commissioner and the Cambodian Ambassador on 14 July 2014; the Lao Ambassador on 5 August 2014; the Singapore High Commissioner on 9 October 2014; the Thai Charge D’Affaires on 13 October 2014; and the Vietnamese Ambassador on 12 November 2014. I have also met a number of the ASEAN Ambassadors at events througout the year and with visting delegations.
It is worth noting that, with the opening of the Lao Embassy in London on 6 November every ASEAN country is now represented in the UK, as is the UK in every ASEAN country.