Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to ensure that Government ministers are able to meet and hold discussions with ministers from Commonwealth countries, especially those from small island states, when they visit London.

Ministers meet regularly with Ministers from Commonwealth countries, both in London and on their visits overseas. The majority of the Commonwealth's 52 members are represented by High Commissioners in London. Meetings with visiting Ministers are typically organised by High Commissioners and their staff or by High Commissioners at UK missions overseas. Where a VIP is invited to the UK by Her Majesty's Government, the visit programme is arranged through Protocol Directorate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We place significant importance on Ministerial meetings which provide the opportunity for discussions on a range of Commonwealth and other issues. Recently, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) had a warm and productive meeting with the Grenadian Prime Minister and St Lucian Prime Minister. Similar visits and discussions, both inwards and outwards, will become increasingly important as we look ahead to hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2018.