Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for how many bills in British Overseas Territories has the governor (a) withheld assent and (b) reserved the bill for decision by a UK Secretary of State in each of the past five years.

The constitutions of the Overseas Territories make different provision for assent, according to the options available to a Governor when presented with legislation. In the case of Bermuda, the Cannabis Licensing Bill 2022 was reserved, and assent was not granted. In the British Virgin Islands (BVI) assent was reserved to the following legislation; the Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Bill 2020 and the Cannabis Licensing Bill 2020. In other circumstance, Bills have been withdrawn for revision by the local legislature before a formal decision on assent was taken.