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LONDON, England; Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - Foreign Office Minister Gillian Merron will host the tenth meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council (OTCC) in London, commencing today, October 28 and, through to tomorrow, 29 October.
The OTCC, held each year in London, is a key annual event in the British Government/Overseas Territories calendar, providing a forum for the elected leaders of Britain's Overseas Territories and their representatives to discuss high-level policy with a team of British Government Ministers.
Discussions are expected to cover a range of current issues including economic issues and the current global crisis; financial services regulation; human rights; prospects for the relationship between the EU and the Overseas Territories; the environment and disaster management. Proceedings will include the signing of a new Tax Information Exchange Arrangement between the UK and the British Virgin Islands.
Minister Merron said: "I'm glad to be welcoming so many elected leaders from the Overseas Territories and senior ministers to the OTCC this year. The forum is a critical part of debate and decision-making between the UK and the Overseas Territories. We've got a great deal to discuss – from financial services to human rights - I'm looking forward to getting down to the business of ensuring continuing close relations and the security and prosperity of the OTs."
Attending for the Overseas Territories will be the Hon Osborne Fleming, Chief Minister, Anguilla; Dr the Hon Ewart F Brown, Premier of Bermuda; Hon Ralph O'Neal, Premier, the British Virgin Islands; Hon Kurt Tibbetts, Leader of Government Business, the Cayman Islands; Hon Michael Summers, Executive Councillor, the Falkland Islands; Hon Lowell Lewis, Chief Minister, Montserrat; Mr Leslie Jaques, Commissioner, Pitcairn Islands; Hon William Drabble, Councillor, St Helena; Hon Dr Michael Misick, Premier, the Turks and Caicos Islands; and Mr Conrad Glass, Chief Islander, Tristan da Cunha.
The British Government team will be led by Gillian Merron, who will be joined by Michael Foster MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development; the Rt hon Stephen Timms MP, the Financial Secretary to HM Treasury; Gareth Thomas MP, Minister of State at the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; and Huw Irranca-Davies MP, the Minister for the Natural and Marine Environment, Wildlife and Rural Affairs at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
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