§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK has made in support of lifting OECD blacklisting from the Cayman Islands prior to the review of the blacklist in June. [157638]
§ Mr. BattleThe UK takes seriously its duty to represent the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies internationally. We take equally seriously efforts by the Financial Action Task Force—of which we are a leading member—to combat money laundering. Over the last year, we have therefore sought at all times to ensure that the FATF's information about the Cayman Islands is accurate and complete and that the Cayman Islands are treated on exactly the same basis as all the other jurisdictions examined by the FATF. We have also helped and encouraged the Cayman Islands authorities to make the necessary changes to their system in order to meet international standards in this area. It would be inappropriate to seek special treatment for the Cayman Islands from the FATF, but we will continue to ensure that the Cayman Islands are treated fairly and objectively when decisions are made.