The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.

Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.

Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.

The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.

We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.

Tackling illicit finance at home and internationally remains a key priority for this Government. We recognise the role of those professional enablers who exploit the integrity of their professions to facilitate serious and organised crime and corruption. That is why the upcoming Illicit Finance Summit will focus on strengthening global enforcement against illicit finance, including forging new partnerships to disrupt such professional enablers and take the profit out of crime and corruption. By driving greater transparency, stronger enforcement and higher global standards, we will also make it harder to hide or misuse money, including through tax evasion. We will confirm details of attendance at the Illicit Finance Summit in the normal way in due course.

We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories (OTs) and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.

The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.

Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.

Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.

The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.

We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.

The Hon Member has asked a large number of related questions on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), some of which we are unable to answer because they fall within the responsibility of the devolved government, and others because they relate to ongoing proceedings, on which it would not be appropriate to comment.

Among the devolved matters for which the TCIG are responsible are procurement and infrastructure development. In addition, decisions regarding land use - including applications, allocations, challenges and oversight - are all made by appropriate bodies within the TCIG. The Governor appoints agency heads but is independent of these entities' operations. Agency effectiveness is governed by established legal and regulatory frameworks and concerns can be raised with them as appropriate.

Establishing wider access to beneficial ownership data - even if limited to those with a legitimate interest - is a step forward towards enabling greater scrutiny of illicit finance. The UK welcomed TCI's Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) Register of Beneficial Ownership when it launched in 2025. But we are clear that there is more work to be done, and alongside other Overseas Territories (OTs), TCI has committed to improving their LIA. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working closely with the OTs to ensure LIA registers provide the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst protecting the right to privacy in line with each OT's respective constitutions. The UK's expectation remains for the OTs and Crown Dependencies to establish fully public registers of beneficial ownership.

The UK is committed to expanding economic cooperation with the OTs. Sustainable economic prosperity is important to the whole UK family. The FCDO co-convened an OT Trade and Investment Study Visit in March 2026 bringing together senior representatives from across the OTs - including from the TCIG - to strengthen awareness of UK capabilities, and give our support to commercial partnerships and economic development opportunities. The UK Government remains available to provide advice and technical support where requested.

We regularly raise our expectations on publicly accessible and legitimate interest access registers of beneficial ownership with Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, and I most recently discussed this with OT leaders and representatives on 16 July.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on this issue during the most recent session of departmental oral questions on 21 April, and to my Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS1237) following the Joint Ministerial Council on 13 January.

The right hon. Gentleman will know that we have publicly accessible registers in some of the overseas territories—in Gibraltar and Montserrat—and there has been welcome progress on legitimate interest access registers in a number of them, including in recent weeks, but I absolutely agree that we need to go much further. We are working closely to ensure that there is progress, and I have set out my expectations very clearly.

Following the Minister’s answer to Question 1 on illicit finances, we still do not have publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership in the overseas territories, nearly 10 years after this House passed the necessary legislation and made it clear that they must be set up. When will the Government put their foot down, say that there has been enough delay and obfuscation, and fully open up these registers to proper scrutiny now?

HMG has supported Overseas Territories (OT), including the British Virgin Islands, with the development and implementation of accessible registers of beneficial ownership by offering and providing clear requirements and expectations, legal analysis, legislative drafting support, technical workshops and by funding an expert non-governmental organisation (NGO), Open Ownership, to provide tailored support as necessary. Some OTs have received direct funding to help establish their registers, and we remain open to further requests. Minister Doughty's Written Ministerial Statement of 13 Jan 2026 provides an update on latest progress and agreements on next steps. The Government's ultimate expectation remains for the OTs to implement fully public registers of beneficial ownership.

Financial Services, including in relation to information on beneficial ownership, are a devolved matter for the Government of the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Whilst it is not unusual to hold companies through legal arrangements, including Trusts, this Government expects Overseas Territories, including the BVI, to implement accessible registers of beneficial ownership as a way of mitigating the risk that these structures are abused by those seeking to hide illicit gains. The Minister of State, Stephen Doughty wrote to Premier Wheatly on 26 January to reiterate that this Government expects that the BVI's proposals for legitimate interest access registers will uphold the highest possible standards of transparency and demonstrate a clear commitment to openness and robust oversight. This Government's ultimate expectation is that the OTs launch fully public registers of beneficial ownership.

I refer the Noble Lord to my written ministerial statements on 3 July (UIN HLWS774) and 22 July (UIN HLWS884) which provided an update on progress achieved to date and details of next steps. These issues were most recently discussed at the Joint Ministerial Council, where the Minister for the Overseas Territories and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury again reinforced the need for previously agreed deadlines and commitments to be met, and called for prompt action to do so.

UK Private Military Security Companies (PMSCs) are subject to extensive regulation and oversight through a mix of legal and voluntary mechanisms, including the requirement to ensure compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The UK also works closely with the Security in Complex Environments Group (SCEG), which represents the interests of its PMSC members, and works to raise standards across the sector.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has a strictly humanitarian mandate, in line with the Geneva Conventions, to provide humanitarian assistance, protect lives, and uphold IHL worldwide. It does not have any role supporting the business activities of PMSCs.

The hon. Member can find the communiqué online. The Economic Secretary to the Treasury and I met the leaders from the overseas territories last week at a successful Joint Ministerial Council, and I again set out clearly our expectations on registers of beneficial ownership. I would point out that all OTs with financial centres have committed to upholding international tax standards, including those on tax transparency and exchange of information, as well as base erosion and profit sharing.