Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of potential UK involvement in the European Political Community proposed by the President of France in May 2022.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Prime Minister attended the inaugural Summit of European Leaders in Prague on 6 October. The Prime Minister secured commitments on UK priorities, including demonstrating European support for Ukraine, and energy and illegal migration. The Prime Minister was clear in her engagement ahead of the Summit, including with President Macron on 20 September, that it should not create or duplicate institutional structures (e.g. NATO or the G7), it should be entirely separate from the EU with a non-EU country hosting next, and maintain a wide membership.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has raised concerns on the breeding, shipping, killing and eating of dogs in China with the Government of the People's Republic of China.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK Government is committed to raising standards of animal welfare at home and abroad. The consumption of dog meat is legal in many countries, including China, and there are no international norms, laws or agreements governing this. We believe that it is necessary to work with Governments around the world to gain agreement on animal welfare standards, and to phase out cruel and inhumane practices. We have raised our concerns regarding the consumption of dog meat in China with the Chinese authorities, including recently with the Chinese Embassy in London, and will continue to raise this and other animal welfare issues.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has had discussions with authorities in (a) Bermuda, (b) British Virgin Islands and (c) the Cayman Islands on the potential merits of increasing protections for British minority shareholders in companies incorporated in those jurisdictions.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Overseas Territories are self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically elected governments, who are responsible for their own financial services policy. The regulation of the financial services industries in the Overseas Territories are a matter for their elected governments. The FCDO has not discussed the issue of British minority shareholders with Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands or the Cayman Islands. The Overseas Territories cooperate with the UK on taxation, fighting financial crime and countering terrorist finance. They are committed to meeting international standards on illicit finance, tax transparency and anti-money laundering; including those set by the OECD and the Financial Action Task Force.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential risk that listed companies, including those that are Chinese or Russian controlled, may use incorporation in the British Overseas Territories to pay less than market value to other shareholders when taking the business private.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Overseas Territories are self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically elected governments, who are responsible for their own financial services policy. The Overseas Territories cooperate with the UK on taxation, fighting financial crime and are implementing sanctions targeted at Russia. They are committed to meeting international standards on illicit finance, tax transparency and anti-money laundering; including those set by the OECD, the Financial Action Task Force and regional standards set by the EU. The FCDO has not made an assessment of these risks; the regulation of the financial services industries in the Overseas Territories are a matter for their elected governments.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to prevent companies from using lower regulatory standards in (a) Bermuda, (b) British Virgin Islands and (c) Cayman Islands to (i) take advantage of loopholes and (ii) avoid scrutiny from shareholders.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Overseas Territories including Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands are self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically elected governments, who are responsible for their own financial services policy. The Overseas Territories cooperate with the UK on taxation, fighting financial crime and sanctions enforcement. They are committed to meeting international standards on illicit finance, tax transparency and anti-money laundering including those set by the OECD, the Financial Action Task Force and regional standards set by the EU. In 2020, the Financial Action Task Force issued an excellent rating following an evaluation of Bermuda's regulatory regime for combatting money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation. The Overseas Territories also continue to share valuable company ownerships and tax information with UK law authorities, under the invaluable Exchange of Notes process. It was information shared by an Overseas Territory which enabled the UK's first Unexplained Wealth Order.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that British Overseas Territories are not being used to circumvent sanctions.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is proud of the principled stand that the Overseas Territories have taken in relation to implementing sanctions. UK sanctions apply in all Overseas Territories. The elected leaders of the Territories have publicly confirmed their commitment to continuing to uphold the highest international standards of transparency and accountability and to fully implementing the UK sanctions against Russia. The Government will continue to provide guidance and support on implementation of sanctions where appropriate. Additionally, the UK's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, which sits within HM Treasury, engages regularly with Overseas Territories on compliance, enforcement and licensing. This engagement has assisted these jurisdictions in improving the implementation of financial sanctions across the wider British Family.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in the context of the conflict in Ukraine, whether the Government plans to encourage British Overseas Territories to speed up the introduction of publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK and the Overseas Territories stand united in condemning the Russian Government's egregious violation of international law and the UN Charter. The Overseas Territories released a joint statement in solidarity with the UK, which reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to uphold the highest international standards of transparency and accountability.
All Overseas Territories have committed to introduce publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership. These commitments exceed the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force on beneficial ownership transparency, and put them ahead of most jurisdictions. The UK Government expects the registers to be in place by the end of 2023.
The six Overseas Territories with global financial centres already share beneficial ownership information with UK law enforcement agencies under the exchange of notes arrangements.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which UK missions (a) are and (b) are not stocking UK wine for use at receptions and events overseas.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The FCDO encourages all its UK and Overseas offices to use British produce and wine at UK-hosted events as far as possible, as we recognise the importance of showcasing British cuisine globally.
The FCDO does not hold data on British wine/food usage at receptions and events overseas centrally.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What steps the Government is taking to support the citizens of Hong Kong.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are deeply concerned about ongoing events in Hong Kong. The UK has taken clear decisive action in response to China’s violations of the Joint Declaration. We have
We will continue to raise concerns our with the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, and bring together our international partners to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to call out the violation of their freedoms, and to hold China to their international obligations.