Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what guidance her Department provides on the potential impact of Article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on British maritime logistics taking place in (a) the Falkland Islands, (b) Gibraltar and (c) other British Overseas Territories.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom is a Party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), having ratified it in 1997. The United Kingdom's position regarding Article 298 of UNCLOS is set out in the UK's formal declarations dated 7 April 2003 and 31 December 2020.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 79283, if he will make an assessment of (a) the effectiveness of hydrographic surveys to improve the safety of navigation in Antarctic waters and (b) the potential merits of increasing the capacity for conducting these surveys.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK Hydrographic Office, an Executive Agency of the MOD, provides products to support the safety of navigation at sea for the UK's Waters, including its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies - they draw this data from multiple sources including international partners under the auspices of the International Hydrographic Organisation's Hydrographic Commission for Antarctica. The Royal Navy's Ice Patrol Ship, HMS Protector, also carries out hydrographic surveys in Antarctic waters.
The difficulties of gaining high quality data in such a remote and environmentally challenging region are significant and the season for data collection is short. Therefore, there is strong cross-governmental coordination to ensure more frequently visited areas of the British Antarctic Territory are prioritised.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support, if any, they have provided to the British Virgin Islands in developing and implementing their public beneficial ownership registers.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
HMG has supported Overseas Territories (OT), including the British Virgin Islands, with the development and implementation of accessible registers of beneficial ownership by offering and providing clear requirements and expectations, legal analysis, legislative drafting support, technical workshops and by funding an expert non-governmental organisation (NGO), Open Ownership, to provide tailored support as necessary. Some OTs have received direct funding to help establish their registers, and we remain open to further requests. Minister Doughty's Written Ministerial Statement of 13 Jan 2026 provides an update on latest progress and agreements on next steps. The Government's ultimate expectation remains for the OTs to implement fully public registers of beneficial ownership.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to set out in detail the Anti-Corruption Champion’s proposals concerning the development of tourism sectors in the British Overseas Territories; whether the territories were consulted before these recommendations were made or the related strategy launched; to what extent the success of such proposals depends on overseas territory participation; and whether His Majesty’s Treasury will provide financial or technical assistance to support their implementation.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK Government has regular discussions with the Overseas Territories (OTs) about ways in which they can strengthen and diversify their economies, attract increased investment, and improve transparency. The Anti-Corruption Champion's remarks on economic development, including opportunities in the tourism sector, are a welcome contribution to those discussions.
At the 2025 Joint Ministerial Council, we discussed with the OTs the infrastructure and credit finance offer from UK Export Finance (UKEF), and organised a business engagement session delivered with British Expertise International to enhance trade and investment links. We will continue to work in partnership with the OTs and consider requests for technical assistance, capacity building support, or, where eligible, financial instruments such as those available through UKEF. We remain committed to supporting the OTs in strengthening their economic resilience, and delivering sustainable long-term prosperity.
Asked by: Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to update the strategy set out in the White Paper, The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability, published in June 2012.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
As per my written ministerial statement of 13 January (HLWS1237), the Joint Ministerial Council meeting in November 2025 agreed that the 2012 White Paper continues to serve as the foundation of the UK-Overseas Territories modern partnership, complemented by recent statements and agreements. The UK Government intends to develop a charter to underscore and refresh commitments around how the UK Government engages with the Overseas Territories as well as Compacts with those Overseas Territories which wish to agree them.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK Overseas Territories biodiversity strategy, published on 12 January 2026, if she will set out the minimum biosecurity standards for ports and airports serving the British Antarctic Territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All the issues raised by the Hon Member, including the protection of biosecurity, the prohibition of non-native species, and the impact of tourism, are important for the UK Government and are reflected in the objectives of our UK Antarctic Strategy published on 1 December 2025. We discuss and monitor these issues regularly alongside the international partners who share our interests in Antarctica, and we have invested heavily in the modern scientific research capabilities that help us to keep these issues under review.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, which of the Anglican Churches in the British Overseas Territories remain in communion with the See of Canterbury.
Answered by Marsha De Cordova
All Provinces and Dioceses of the Anglican Communion that are active in the British Overseas Territories remain in communion with the See of Canterbury. These include the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, which is part of the Church of England; the Falklands and Bermuda, which are extra-provincial jurisdictions; St Helena, which comes under the Provinces of Southern Africa; and the churches in the remaining British Overseas Territories, which the Anglican Province of the West Indies administers.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of expanding the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime on shipping and ferry services serving British Overseas Territories; what assessment has been made of potential impacts on services to and from Crown Dependencies; and whether any mitigations or exemptions are being considered for these routes.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Emissions Trading Scheme Authority has recently consulted on proposals to include a share of emissions from international maritime voyages, including voyages to and from Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories. The consultation invited evidence on the potential impacts on their communities and economies.
The Government recognise that some of these communities rely heavily on shipping and will continue to engage with Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories regarding the financial impacts this policy may have on their communities and economies. Policy decisions will be considered once consultation responses have been fully analysed and considered by the UK ETS Authority.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the governance structure of the distinct technical and Ministerial working groups, in relation to the British Antarctic Territories, named in the UK Overseas Territories biodiversity strategy published on 12 January 2026.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Overseas Territories Biodiversity Strategy sets out the UK strategy to conserve, protect, and restore biodiversity in the UK Overseas Territories. This joint strategy has been developed by Defra in partnership with Overseas Territories Governments and Administrations.
The UK Government will work with the Territories in close partnership to implement this strategy, including through distinct technical and Ministerial working groups.
The governance structure of the working groups is under development.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many investigations are currently open into incorrect residency claims for student finance.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.
Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on nationality, but on a person’s immigration status and residency. To be eligible, a student must be ordinarily resident in England and be settled or have a recognised connection with the UK. Students must also have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands (Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and/or the British Overseas Territories) for the three years prior to the first day of the first academic year of their course.
There are exceptions to these requirements for some individuals. For example, there is an exception to the requirement to be settled for those who are covered by the EU Withdrawal Agreement.
To qualify for support, applicants must provide the Student Loans Company (SLC) with evidence of their eligibility. This includes evidence of their identity, immigration status and ordinary residence.
SLC have robust procedures in place to check student finance eligibility, including data-sharing with Home Office and HM Passport Office. When required, the SLC will contact the Home Office to confirm an applicant’s immigration status and ordinary residence.
Nationality is an optional field when creating a student finance account, however, it is mandatory for the full application for support to be processed. Nationality will always be checked as part of verifying a person’s identity and where appropriate as part of verifying their immigration status. Applications that are incomplete for any of SLC’s identity, immigration status or residence history checks are not approved for student finance.
A student does not qualify for student finance if they have shown themselves by their conduct to be ‘unfitted’ to receive support, such as providing falsified documents. Depending on the nature of being found unfitted, the student’s details may be added to the Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS) database. SLC does record details of students who have been made ineligible for student finance. However, the data is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The department does not hold the data in a format that can provide information on investigations that are currently open into incorrect residency claims for student finance.
SLC has advised the department that it has strengthened its integration with Home Office systems for the purposes of establishing eligibility for student finance.
Table 1: Number of cases of misrepresentation in student finance applications have been identified in each of the last five years.
Financial Year | Investigations (All fraud types) | Fraud type: residency | Fraud type: migrant worker |
2020/21 | 1,240 | 9 | 6 |
2021/22 | 1,737 | 10 | 78 |
2022/23 | 2,431 | 5 | 225 |
2023/24 | 2,734 | 21 | 134 |
2024/25 | 2,231 | 8 | 301 |
Table 1 shows data for undergraduate applications which have been found to warrant sanctions for false evidence on application. Applications with residency fraud have failed checks for UK nationals, Irish citizens or ‘settled status’ in the UK to verify information on the following eligibility criteria: their home is in England, they’ve been continuously living in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for three years before the first day of the first academic year (apart from temporary absences such as holidays). Applications with migrant worker fraud have failed checks or submitted false evidence to claim migrant worker status and access student finance. From 2022 onwards the number of cases linked to migrant worker students increased, initially due to a law enforcement referral and then due to collective and increased focus on fraud.
Table 2: Value and volume of income-contingent repayment loans due for repayment from Student Finance England (SFE) borrowers who were domiciled in England at the time of the loan whose income is not verified, as a proportion of the total loan book as at 10/12/2025.
Value of all loans in repayment | £226,756,961,551 |
Value of loans where income could not be verified | £12,801,872,323 |
Proportion of loan values where income was not verified | 5.65% |
Volume of all loans in repayment | 5,666,186 |
Volume of loans where income was not verified | 376,410 |
Proportion of loan volume where income was not verified | 6.64% |
Table 2 shows the value and volume of all SFE income-contingent repayment loans for students who were domiciled in England at the time of the loan whose income was not verified, as a proportion of the total loan book. The main reasons for income which is not verified is that they have been matched by HMRC but have no employment details recorded or they have moved overseas and are no longer part of the UK tax system. SLC proactively attempt to trace and contact all borrowers whose income is not verified to correctly classify the situation and take the required action.
The department does not hold the data to provide accurate loan write-off rates (the proportion of loans which have been written off) in the form requested. Due to the way in which the data is held, analysts in the department would not be able to provide this information you have requested without exceeding the disproportionate cost threshold.
Table 3 shows the number of full-time undergraduate students who were domiciled in England who received their first loan payment whilst they were under the age of 18 in each of the last ten years.
Academic Year | Number of borrowers |
2015 | 536 |
2016 | 521 |
2017 | 470 |
2018 | 460 |
2019 | 435 |
2020 | 428 |
2021 | 455 |
2022 | 484 |
2023 | 518 |
2024 | 475 |
Total | 4,782 |