Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential risks to national security of the proposed transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Answered by James Heappey
The joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia plays a crucial role in combating some of the most challenging threats to regional and international security.
The UK and Mauritius have conducted several rounds of negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago. The UK and Mauritius have reiterated that any agreement between our two countries will ensure the continued effective operation of joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides on whether British citizens residing in the Cayman Islands would be eligible for home fee status if they enter the UK (a) before 1 September, (b) on 1 September and (c) on the commencement date of their academic course later in September.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Students coming to the UK from specified British Overseas Territories will be eligible for home fee status in England if they have settled status on the first day of the first academic year of the course. Higher education providers in England are autonomous bodies, and they assess a student’s fee status in accordance with the Education (Fees and Awards) (England) Regulations. Where a student does not meet the criteria for home fee status, a provider has the discretion to waive or reduce the fees where they consider it appropriate.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides on whether the date of entry into England or Wales can determine whether a British citizen ordinarily residing in the Cayman Islands qualifies for home fee status.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Students coming to the UK from specified British Overseas Territories will be eligible for home fee status in England if they have settled status on the first day of the first academic year of the course. Higher education providers in England are autonomous bodies, and they assess a student’s fee status in accordance with the Education (Fees and Awards) (England) Regulations. Where a student does not meet the criteria for home fee status, a provider has the discretion to waive or reduce the fees where they consider it appropriate.
Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Governor of the British Virgin Islands in relation to the proposed referendum on same-sex marriage and partnerships; and whether they plan to instruct the Governor to intervene to ensure that international legal obligations are upheld.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As separate, largely self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically-elected representatives, the British Overseas Territories are responsible for their own legislation regarding marriage and civil partnerships.
The UK Government has had several discussions with the Governor of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) about the Premier's plans for a referendum on same sex marriage and civil partnerships.
We continue to encourage the Overseas Territories to ensure their legislation delivers greater equality and is compliant with international human rights obligations.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs travelled to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme via (a) sea, (b) tunnel and (c) air in each year between 2013 and 2022.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The total number of dogs that travelled under the pet travel scheme is as follows:
Year | Air | Sea | Tunnel | Total |
2018 | 17,783 | 118,043 | 177,170 | 312,996 |
2019 | 19,302 | 114,706 | 174,396 | 308,404 |
2020 | 16,353 | 38,813 | 131,463 | 186,629 |
2021 | 17,389 | 39,578 | 108,904 | 165,871 |
2022 | 17,885 | 95,493 | 169,531 | 282,909 |
This is a summary of dogs entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme via an approved route. It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland (as these movements do not need to follow an approved route).
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals.
Please note that we do not hold any data prior to 2018.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cats travelled to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme via (a) sea, (b) tunnel and (c) air in each year between 2013 and 2022.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The total number of cats that travelled under the pet travel scheme is as follows:
Year | Air | Sea | Tunnel | Total |
2018 | 8,530 | 8,449 | 12,591 | 29,570 |
2019 | 9,776 | 9,764 | 12,767 | 32,307 |
2020 | 9,354 | 5,235 | 12,545 | 27,134 |
2021 | 11,445 | 5,928 | 11,768 | 29,141 |
2022 | 9,819 | 15,500 | 14,238 | 39,557 |
This is a summary of cats entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme via an approved route. It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland (as these movements do not need to follow an approved route).
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals.
We do not hold any data prior to 2018.
Asked by: Thérèse Coffey (Conservative - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to help preserve penguin populations in the Overseas Territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Many protections already exist for penguins in the Overseas Territories. These include the Marine Protected Area around South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands, and the Antarctic Treaty System. The Government also supports biodiversity through Darwin Plus which, since 2012, has invested over £47 million in over 260 projects. Projects have aimed to conserve northern rockhopper penguins on Tristan da Cunha, and improve native tussac grassland to improve breeding habitat for Magellanic penguins in the Falkland Islands. In the UK-OT Joint Declaration, we committed to strengthen our partnership to protect and sustainably manage our unique and globally significant environments.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the proposed transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and Secretary Blinken discussed the BIOT negotiations in Washington DC on 7 December. The US, UK, and Mauritius have reiterated that protecting the continued effective operation of the base on Diego Garcia is a key priority. The UK is working in lockstep with the US on all elements of BIOT and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many Overseas Territories the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Americas, Caribbean and the Overseas Territories) has visited.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Overseas Territories are an important part of the British family. In addition to our ongoing support, visits by the UK Government reaffirms the unique bond between the UK and the Overseas Territories. After being appointed Minister responsible for the Overseas Territories in July 2023, I [Minister Rutley] have visited the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and the Turks and Caicos Islands and have seen first-hand the positive impacts of the UK-Overseas Territories partnership.
Following a successful Joint Ministerial Council in November, we look forward to further engagement with the Territories, including future visits to the Territories.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has taken recent steps to reduce the tariff on fish feed imported from the Faroe Islands.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK and the Faroe Islands met in February for the UK-Faroe Islands Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Committee. Officials discussed implementation of the FTA and remain in contact on a number of areas of trade, including the possibility of further liberalisation of fish feed imports from the Faroe Islands.