OT 01: Letter to the Chair of the Committee from Henry Bellingham MP

OT 01: Letter to the Chair of the Committee from Henry Bellingham MP

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS: SEVENTH REPORT OF SESSION 2009-10

T he FAC has maintained a close interest in the Overseas Territories and in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in particular , culminating in its report of 31 March . I welcome this interest, and I hope it will continue a s the Government develops a more dynamic relationship with the Territories .

Since my appointment as Minister for the Overseas Territories, and together with DFID colleague s , we have been giving careful consideration to the issues raised in the FAC’s report, and to the UK’s intervention in TCI. This joint FCO/DFID process is continuing, but I hope to be able to give the FAC a detailed response when the House reconvenes after the summer break .

In the meantime, I wanted to let you know that DFID has ag reed to provide the TCI G overnment with a £10 million loan, to be released in three tranches over the next three months. This will allow the TCI G overnment to pay public sector salaries and to meet other urgent commitments. I enclose a copy of Andrew Mitchell ’s Written Ministerial Statement to this effect. [1]

I hope that we will be able to share more with you in September .

1 July 20 10