Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-04-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage businesses in the construction sector to build houses in the Falkland Islands.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Honourable Member will be aware that the primary responsibility for the promotion of business and trade opportunities in the Falkland Islands, including in the construction sector, lies with the Falkland Islands Government (FIG). FIG itself would be the best source of further information on construction in the Islands as it has responsibility for all infrastructure development.

As noted in the Overseas Territories White Paper of 2012, the UK is strongly committed to supporting British companies who wish to do business in the Territories. The investment opportunities in the Overseas Territories were highlighted in November last year as part of the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC), with a half day Investment Forum at which over 150 businesses attended. A similar event is planned as part of the JMC programme for this year.