§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 14 January 2000,Official Report, column 221W, on British Overseas Territories, what plans his Department has to introduce an order in council to ensure that the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands change their existing legislation on homosexual acts. [114774]
288W
§ Mr. BattleIn keeping with the new relationship based on partnership, Britain preferred that the Overseas Territories should enact the necessary human right reforms themselves. The relevant territories were forewarned that progress would be reviewed by the end of the year and if necessary the changes, including the de-criminalisation of homosexual acts by consenting adults in private, would be imposed by Orders in Council. The deadline having passed we are reviewing the situation.