Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which countries the UK has visa free travel arrangements with for British citizens.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
FCDO, who have responsibility for this information, have said that the information this question is requesting can be found in public domain https://visaguide.world/visa-free-countries/uk-passport/
We have included the list for ease:
Albania
American Samoa
Andorra
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
Caribbean Netherlands
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Canada
Cabo Verde
Cayman Islands
Chile
Colombia
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Estonia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French West Indies
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Namibia
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niue
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Réunion
Romania
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Gambia
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turks and Caicos Islands
Türkiye
United States Virgin Islands
Ukraine
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
Eswatin
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of Official Development Assistance has been spent on (a) environmental conservation and (b) environmental conservation in British Overseas Territories in each of the last three years.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Figures for bilateral UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the area of environmental protection, including in the UK Overseas Territories, for the years 2019-2021 are provided below.
Year | TOTAL BILATERAL ODA (£m) | Environment spend(£m) | Environment spend proportion of TOTAL | UK Overseas Territories Environment spend(£m) | UK Overseas Territories Environment spend proportion of TOTAL |
2019 | 10575.4 | 237.9 | 2.25% | 5.2 | 0.05% |
2020 | 9657.3 | 203.8 | 2.11% | 3.1 | 0.03% |
2021 | 7257.2 | 93.7 | 1.29% | 4.4 | 0.06% |
Figures capture spend using the OECD Rio Markers for biodiversity and desertification. They include spend in Saint Helena and Montserrat, the only ODA-eligible UK Overseas Territories for which disaggregated data are available.
The Government is delivering on its commitment to invest at least £3 billion of International Climate Finance in development solutions that protect and restore nature between 2021-26. In addition to bilateral ODA, the UK is supporting environmental protection and wider climate and environment objectives through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Year | GEF contribution (£m) | GCF contribution (£m) |
2019 | 49.8 | 0.0 |
2020 | 62.5 | 450.0 |
2021 | 62.5 | 280.9 |
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has in place to promote county and town twinning arrangements between settlements in the British Overseas Territories and the UK.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Individual Overseas Territories have twinned with places in the United Kingdom, such the city of Stanley which is twinned with Whitby and Portsmouth. The FCDO has been working to build working partnerships between the public services in each Overseas Territory and their counterparts in the United Kingdom, notably in the field of policing and social services. In the case of Montserrat, successful partnerships have been built up between the local social services and police with their counterparts in Suffolk. The FCDO are working to expand these partnerships across the Overseas Territories and the increase the range of sector they include.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help (a) recruit, (b) train and (c) support the development of police officers within the British Overseas Territories.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
In conjunction with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the Home Office delivers capacity building incorporating mentoring, training and advice to local police teams across the British Overseas Territories.. The local Police Force is responsible for the recruitment of their officers.
There are currently police officers on secondment working with police forces in the territories including in Anguilla, Montserrat, and the British Virgin Islands.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funds his Department has ringfenced for the purpose of supporting long term infrastructure development for each of the British Overseas Territories.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government has an obligation to ensure that the needs of Overseas Territories are met, including provision of key infrastructure and services. Access to high quality infrastructure services is necessary to meet long term economic and social development goals across the Overseas Territories. We have ongoing infrastructure investment commitments of up to £161.8 million, in St. Helena, Montserrat, and Anguilla. This capital investment is enhanced by technical assistance and financial aid where relevant, to maximise social and economic benefits. We will continue to invest on a needs basis, and to work with territories to design future infrastructure interventions.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers from UK constabularies are currently seconded to British Overseas Territories; and in which Territories they are seconded to.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
There are currently 3 Police Officers seconded to Anguilla, Montserrat, and the British Virgin Islands.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what disaster relief measures he has in place to mitigate the impact of a further volcanic eruption on the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK continues to invest in capability and resilience building to mitigate the impact of natural hazard events in Montserrat. The FCDO is currently supporting Montserrat by providing specialist equipment to respond effectively to natural disasters. The FCDO are also supporting the work of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory who monitor volcanic activity, and funding a Scientific Advisory Committee who visit Montserrat annually to assess volcanic activity. The wider package of FCDO support to Montserrat includes the building of a new port and hospital which will improve local resilience.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which British Overseas Territories are eligible to receive Overseas Development Aid; and what recent discussions they have had about expanding the rules so that other British Overseas Territories are eligible for that aid.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha are eligible for Overseas Development Aid. There are no ongoing discussions to expand the list of Overseas Territories eligible for regular Overseas Development Aid.
Asked by: Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether regular officers and soldiers serving in (1) the Royal Gibraltar Regiment; (2) the Cayman Islands Regiment, (3) the Turks and Caicos Regiment, (4) the Bermuda Regiment, (5) the Falkland Islands Defence Force, and (6) the Royal Montserrat Defence Force, are entitled to qualify for (a) the Long Service, and (b) the Good Conduct Medal.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Full and part-time members of British Overseas Territories Defence Forces and Regiments were formerly eligible for the same long service and efficiency awards as UK Reserve Forces.
With successive policy changes over the past few decades and particularly following the introduction of the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal in 1999, it is acknowledged there is a need to ensure clarity in relation to the grounds for eligibility.
The basis for continued eligibility to UK awards is currently under review and the outcome will be communicated in due course.
Asked by: Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether volunteer reserves serving in (1) the Royal Gibraltar Regiment; (2) the Cayman Islands Regiment, (3) the Turks and Caicos Regiment, (4) the Bermuda Regiment, (5) the Falkland Islands Defence Force, and (6) the Royal Montserrat Defence Force, are entitled to qualify for (a) the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal, and (b) the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Full and part-time members of British Overseas Territories Defence Forces and Regiments were formerly eligible for the same long service and efficiency awards as UK Reserve Forces.
With successive policy changes over the past few decades and particularly following the introduction of the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal in 1999, it is acknowledged there is a need to ensure clarity in relation to the grounds for eligibility.
The basis for continued eligibility to UK awards is currently under review and the outcome will be communicated in due course.