Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects Anguilla’s register of beneficial ownership to be published; for what reasons publication has been delayed; and what support the UK providing to assist Anguilla in publishing the register.

We have committed to provide financial support to Anguilla to create an electronic search platform providing access to beneficial ownership information, as well as support in drafting underpinning legislation. We are working with Anguilla to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding on the terms for provision of support for its beneficial ownership system, and expect that its system will be established in the spring of 2018. Delays have been caused by a need to ensure value for money in the provision of funding and to put in place legislative drafting assistance. In the interim, Anguilla will respond to any requests for information from UK law enforcement authorities.