§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which Overseas Territories legislatures have e-mail addresses; and which of these can he used to contact individual members of those legislatures; [124842]
(2) when his Department will make an up-to-date list of members of all Overseas Territories legislatures, together with their point of contact, available in the Library; and if he will make it his Department's practice for this to be updated regularly. [124841]
§ Mr. BattleMy Department is in the process of compiling a list of elected members of those Overseas Territories which have a legislature, together with contact details, including e-mail addresses where these exist. This will be placed in the House of Commons Library and will be updated after elections in the territories. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is in regular contact with elected members both in the UK and in the territories and provides a forum for direct liaison between the two.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the proposals outlined in the recent White Paper on Overseas Territories; and if he will make a statement. [124843]
§ Mr. BattleGood progress has been made in key areas covered by the White Paper. Preparations for an Overseas Territories Bill granting British citizenship have reached an advanced stage; structured political dialogue has been effected by the establishment of an annual Consultative Council between. British and Overseas Territories Ministers; a process of constitutional modernisation has been initiated; a draft environmental charter has been distributed for consultation; capital and corporal punishment have been abolished in most territories, with agreement to do so in the others, and an independent review of the regulation of financial sectors in the Overseas Territories is being conducted by consultants.
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§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits made to each Overseas Territory by Ministers in
Outward ministerial visits to the Overseas Territories since 1 May 1997 Country Visitor Position held Date of visit Purpose of visit Montserrat Baroness Symons PUSS 17 to 18 June 1997 Official Montserrat Baroness Symons PUSS late June 1997 Official Montserrat Robin Cook Secretary of State 14 February 1998 Official Falkland Islands Tony Lloyd Minister of State 21 to 25 April 1998 Official British Virgin Islands Baroness Symons PUSS1 8 to 10 September 1998 Official Turks and Caicos Islands Baroness Symons PUSS 10–11 September 1998 Official Cayman Islands Baroness Symons PUSS 18–20 January 1999 Official Montserrat Baroness Scotland PUSS 15–16 September 1999 Official Bermuda Baroness Scotland PUSS 8–11 March 2000 Official 1 Formally designated a Minister responsible for the Overseas Territories in July 1998