Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of (a) transport and (b) utilities infrastructure in Montserrat.

The FCDO is funding a £40 million capital investment programme in Montserrat which includes improvements to the road network and airport, as well as funding the new port. The FCDO is working with the Governor and Government of Montserrat on how to improve access to the island. The Government of Montserrat is running an exercise, supported by UK experts, to understand options for flight operators, as well as a procurement process to ascertain interest in operating a longer-term ferry service.

In 2023, the FCDO provided funding to procure additional generators and earlier this year committed an additional £7 million to improve and modernise the power and water systems. The Department for Energy and Net Zero, and the Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs have also been providing expertise to the Government of Montserrat to support the design of a long-term renewables-based energy system.