Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bates on Thursday 19 October (HL Deb, cols 663–4), what monitoring activities the British High Commission is undertaking in relation to the allegations of money laundering from South Africa regarding the Bank of Baroda, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank; and when that monitoring commenced.

The British High Commission routinely monitors political and economic developments in South Africa. They pass information on specific allegations of money laundering with possible UK links to the Financial Conduct Authority, National Crime Agency and Serious Fraud Office as appropriate.

The Government remains committed to tackling corruption in the UK and overseas and preventing the proceeds of corruption from entering the UK's economy.