§ Baroness Galeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the outcome of the fifth annual Overseas Territories Consultative Council. [HL528]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThe fifth annual Overseas Territories Consultative Council, held in London on 8 to 10 December, provided an opportunity to review, with representatives of the UK Overseas Territories, progress in implementing the commitments made in the 1999 White PaperPartnership for Progress and Prosperity: Britain and the Overseas Territories (Cm 4264).
Several Overseas Territory representatives argued, in the context of constitutional reviews currently under way, for a greater devolution of responsibility and reduction in the powers of governors, in some cases amounting to full internal self-government and total abolition of the UK Government's reserved powers. Territory representatives also sought clarification of their rights of self-determination and free association under the terms of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1541 of 1960.
My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary (Mr Jack Straw) and my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Bill Rammell) emphasised that the security and good governance of the Overseas Territories remains a key foreign policy objective for the UK Government, as indicated in the White Paper UK International Priorities: A Strategy for the FCO, Cm 6052, published on 2 December. Territories have the right to seek independence, where this is an option, but, while the link with the United Kingdom remains, the UK Government will have to retain sufficient powers to protect its overall responsibility for ensuring good governance and compliance with international obligations and to minimise its contingent liabilities arising from its relationship with the Territories. The UK Government consider it important to protect key values, particularly the independence of the judiciary, the political impartiality and integrity of the public service, and sound financial management in the territories. Governors have a key role to play in this.