UK Launches Consultations with Overseas Territories

Henry Bellingham, Minister of State at Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who is in charge of overseas territories, has formally launched a consultation process in respect of the new White Paper that will be produced and published in 2012 on the UK's relationship with its Overseas Territories, including British Virgin Islands. In a speech during his visit to Bermuda, Mr. Bellingham said that the UK government's strategy towards the Overseas Territories focuses on the following areas: strengthening the engagement and interaction between the UK and the Territories, working with territories to strengthen good governance arrangements, public financial management and economic planning where this is necessary; and improving the quality and range of support available to the territories.

Bellingham said that the period of consultation is “for the purpose of identifying what we can do to improve the functioning of the relationship between the UK and each Overseas Territory in the three broad areas defined.”

All the leaders of the Overseas Territories will be able to discuss the White Paper when they meet on the annual Overseas Territories Consultative Council, which will take place in London on November 23-24.