Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department issued guidance to (a) travel and (b) aviation companies on continuing flights to Jamaica after the Jamaican Government issued a hurricane warning.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is expected that airlines, travel operators and travellers will routinely consider the latest Travel Advice provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) before taking their travel decisions. The FCDO provided regularly updated information and advice in relation to Hurricane Melissa between 22 October and 2 November.
The FCDO arranged for one commercial charter flight to support British nationals and other eligible persons who wanted to return from Jamaica to the UK during that period, which departed from Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport on Saturday 1 November. Commercial options were available shortly thereafter resulting in low demand for further FCDO flights.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many flights were arranged to bring UK citizens home from impacted areas following Hurricane Melissa.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is expected that airlines, travel operators and travellers will routinely consider the latest Travel Advice provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) before taking their travel decisions. The FCDO provided regularly updated information and advice in relation to Hurricane Melissa between 22 October and 2 November.
The FCDO arranged for one commercial charter flight to support British nationals and other eligible persons who wanted to return from Jamaica to the UK during that period, which departed from Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport on Saturday 1 November. Commercial options were available shortly thereafter resulting in low demand for further FCDO flights.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions the has had with the Royal Navy on the role of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the humanitarian aid and disaster relief operation in the Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
There have been no discussions on the role of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in support of humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in the Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. The Ministry of Defence’s support to the region during the Hurricane season, Operation VENTUS, is, in the first instance, delivered through the presence of a Royal Navy ship with an embarked crisis response troop. HMS TRENT is currently serving this role and can provide an immediate response and, crucially, set the conditions for further recovery operations.
The Royal Navy, alongside FCDO colleagues, has delivered humanitarian aid and disaster relief in the Caribbean following Hurricane Melissa. This supported the deployment of Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Teams to Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands. HMS TRENT supported both locations with the ship’s crew and crisis response troop also deployed ashore in Falmouth, Jamaica to clear debris and conduct engineering repairs to restore critical infrastructure ahead of the arrival of other agencies.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to my statement to the House on 4 November 2025, Official Report, vol. 774, col. 33WS to 35WS.
Asked by: Harpreet Uppal (Labour - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of UK humanitarian aid at reaching (a) remote and (b) isolated communities in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain steadfast in our commitment to support regional efforts to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, and we continue to engage with Caribbean Missions in the UK on our response. For details on the UK's response, I refer the Hon. Member to my statement to the House on 4 November 2025, Official Report, vol. 774, cols. 33WS-35WS.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support she will provide to British citizens who have (a) family, (b) property and (c) businesses impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support British citizens who (a) live in Jamaica and (b) are travelling in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to coordinate with the (a) Jamaican authorities and (b) regional disaster-management agencies to help ensure that UK assistance is (i) effective and (ii) reaches the most impacted communities.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to support Jamaican authorities to ensure that (a) search and rescue efforts and (b) UK aid are able to access the hardest hit areas of Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the restoration of critical infrastructure in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa: and what assessment she has made of the potential role of UK companies.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.