Turks and Caicos Islands (Hansard, 9 June 2003)

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department has taken to guarantee political representation and civil rights for Turks and Caicos citizens and passport holders. [117087]

§ Mr. MacShane
The Turks and Caicos Islands constitution provides for a Legislature which includes 13 elected members and contains provisions for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department has taken to ensure that the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands fulfils its obligations under international treaties on the rights of the child. [117088]

§ Mr. MacShane
The FCO have contracted the children's charity National Children's Homes to prepare, with the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government legislation compatible with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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The TCI has a local Committee specifically on Rights of the Child. Following a recommendation by a local independent Constitutional Review Committee, the TCI Government established a Human Rights Committee last November to enhance monitoring and maintenance of its obligations.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department has taken to ensure that those born in the Turks and Caicos Islands get full access to lifesaving anti-retroviral drugs. [117089]

§ Mr. MacShane
Health is the responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government, who are actively addressing the issue both on their own and in collaboration with regional organisations and individual states in the region. An HIV triple drug therapy programme is offered free to pregnant women.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the refugee and asylum screening process is for Haitian boat people arriving in the Turks and Caicos. [117090]

§ Mr. MacShane
Immigration is the responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government. The TCI authorities believe that those arriving by sea are economic migrants. Those detained are screened for identification purposes and usually repatriated as soon as possible. There have been no known asylum cases from Haiti. TCI bears the substantial costs of detention and repatriation by air.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department has taken to guarantee that the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands provides education for all school aged children born in the Islands. [117091]

§ Mr. MacShane
Education is the responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government. They have a policy of free compulsory education for all up to the age of 16. Provision of education is available to all children legally resident in TCI.