Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support he has offered to Turks and Caicos to help the development of a new national security strategy.

The United Kingdom played an instrumental role in supporting development of a new National Security Strategy in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), launched jointly by the Governor and Premier of TCI on 22 January. Alongside the strategy's launch, Sandhurst Military Academy ran a week-long national security training exercise, undertaken by senior officials across TCI government and regional partners.

A Security Advisor from the United Kingdom is currently seconded to TCI to coordinate work around national security; having led work to build on the initial steps taken by TCI's policing and Joint Law Enforcement Teams to develop the finalised National Security Strategy.

The Premier of TCI has expressed her thanks for the United Kingdom's support in implementing the National Security Strategy. As part of our ongoing commitment, the United Kingdom is also supporting the establishment of a defence force which will assist the maritime police to protect the Territory's borders.

While the United Kingdom retains reserve responsibilities for national security, this mutually supportive relationship will best serve the interests of the Overseas Territories.