§ Lord Hoyleasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25 October (WA 41), why the Governor of the Cayman Islands was not present during the recent visit to the Islands by the Commonwealth parliamentary delegation; and why the Governor of Gibraltar was not present during the recent visit to Gibraltar by a United Kingdom parliamentary delegation. [4398]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)During the week of the visit by the UK Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to its Cayman Islands counterpart, the Governor was undertaking duty calls in London. The Acting Governor received the delegation in the style and manner that the Governor would have done if he had been in the Territory and full courtesies were extended to the delegation. In the case of Gibraltar, at the time of a visit of a group of Parliamentarians at the invitation of the Government of Gibraltar, the Governor was away from the territory for a week, his first opportunity to take leave since his arrival in the territory in April. Those organising the visit did not take up the offer of a meeting with the Acting Governor.