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, what steps the her Department is taking to help ensure that governance arrangements in Montserrat support sustainable economic development and inward investment.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding allocated to Montserrat is used to support major infrastructure projects and economic development, such as the construction of a new hospital, a new air traffic control tower, and supporting green energy transition including geothermal testing. The FCDO work in partnership with Government of Montserrat (GoM) and the Governor's Office to ensure all proposals are assessed in accordance with FCDO and GoM rules and procedures.
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, what oversight mechanisms exist for ensuring that major development proposals submitted to Overseas Territory governments, including Montserrat, are assessed in a transparent and timely manner.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding allocated to Montserrat is used to support major infrastructure projects and economic development, such as the construction of a new hospital, a new air traffic control tower, and supporting green energy transition including geothermal testing. The FCDO work in partnership with Government of Montserrat (GoM) and the Governor's Office to ensure all proposals are assessed in accordance with FCDO and GoM rules and procedures.
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, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on consumer electricity prices in Montserrat of proposals to review and re-engineer the island’s energy grid.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding allocated to Montserrat is used to support major infrastructure projects and economic development, such as the construction of a new hospital, a new air traffic control tower, and supporting green energy transition including geothermal testing. The FCDO work in partnership with Government of Montserrat (GoM) and the Governor's Office to ensure all proposals are assessed in accordance with FCDO and GoM rules and procedures.
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, what role the Governor of Montserrat plays in reviewing or advising on significant infrastructure and economic development proposals submitted to the Government of Montserrat.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding allocated to Montserrat is used to support major infrastructure projects and economic development, such as the construction of a new hospital, a new air traffic control tower, and supporting green energy transition including geothermal testing. The FCDO work in partnership with Government of Montserrat (GoM) and the Governor's Office to ensure all proposals are assessed in accordance with FCDO and GoM rules and procedures.
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, what assessment she has made of the potential economic and energy security benefits to Montserrat of proposals submitted to the Government of Montserrat on the development of a data centre incorporating geothermal energy resources; and what role her Department has played in reviewing or supporting such proposals.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding allocated to Montserrat is used to support major infrastructure projects and economic development, such as the construction of a new hospital, a new air traffic control tower, and supporting green energy transition including geothermal testing. The FCDO work in partnership with Government of Montserrat (GoM) and the Governor's Office to ensure all proposals are assessed in accordance with FCDO and GoM rules and procedures.
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, what assessment he has made of the potential economic, educational and research benefits of establishing a bio-science laboratory in Montserrat; and whether UK officials have had discussions with the Government of Montserrat regarding proposals for such a facility.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding allocated to Montserrat is used to support major infrastructure projects and economic development, such as the construction of a new hospital, a new air traffic control tower, and supporting green energy transition including geothermal testing. The FCDO work in partnership with Government of Montserrat (GoM) and the Governor's Office to ensure all proposals are assessed in accordance with FCDO and GoM rules and procedures.
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, whether the her Department has been consulted on proposals submitted to the Government of Montserrat on the development of geothermal energy capacity linked to digital infrastructure projects; and if he will place in the Library any correspondence or assessments relating to those proposals.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding allocated to Montserrat is used to support major infrastructure projects and economic development, such as the construction of a new hospital, a new air traffic control tower, and supporting green energy transition including geothermal testing. The FCDO work in partnership with Government of Montserrat (GoM) and the Governor's Office to ensure all proposals are assessed in accordance with FCDO and GoM rules and procedures.
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, what steps the UK Government is taking to support scientific research and laboratory infrastructure in Montserrat as part of its wider strategy for economic diversification in the Overseas Territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding allocated to Montserrat is used to support major infrastructure projects and economic development, such as the construction of a new hospital, a new air traffic control tower, and supporting green energy transition including geothermal testing. The FCDO work in partnership with Government of Montserrat (GoM) and the Governor's Office to ensure all proposals are assessed in accordance with FCDO and GoM rules and procedures.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with Chester Zoo on global conservation and species recovery work.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the important role Chester Zoo plays in global conservation and species recovery. Chester Zoo has a strong partnership with Defra through the Darwin Initiative, which funds some of the zoo’s international conservation efforts. Since 2007, Chester Zoo has delivered 10 Darwin-funded projects worth £2 million across five countries, focusing on human-wildlife conflict, forest restoration, and community livelihoods. It has also partnered on a Darwin Plus project in Montserrat to help save the critically endangered mountain chicken frog.
In addition, Chester Zoo is an active stakeholder under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) through the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and undertakes significant work to support the conservation of CITES-listed species.
New rounds of Defra’s challenge funds, including the Darwin Initiative and Darwin Plus, are expected to open in 2026 for applications, and we would welcome applications from Chester Zoo.
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, what assessment she has made of the level of night time medical evacuation capability in Montserrat, and what steps she is taking to ensure that residents have access to safe and timely emergency medical evacuation comparable to that available in other UK Overseas Territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Government of Montserrat and Air Safety Support International to scope extending Montserrat's airport operations to night time, including to enable night time medical evacuations. The FCDO has also supported construction of a new air traffic control tower to ensure regulatory compliance, operational readiness and staff safety, due to complete this year.