Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on the tourism industry in the British Virgin Islands.

Tourism is a delegated responsibility to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) Government. Within their 'Territorial Recovery and Development Plan', the BVI Government have made an assessment, of the steps required, working alongside the private sector to support the tourism sector's recovery.

The British Government remains committed to working with the Governments of the BVI and other affected Overseas Territories as they develop their longer-term recovery plans.

At the World Bank meetings last month the UK announced a private sector task force to mobilise business to play a prominent role in the reconstruction of the Overseas Territories. The task force will identify and implement practical steps to increase flows of private sector financial support for reconstruction in the region.