A Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship equipped for natural disasters is to be stationed in the Caribbean region throughout the hurricane season this year and next year.

The announcement came as the British Government unveiled new measures to ensure its Overseas Territories in the area were supported if there was a repeat of last year’s devastating hurricanes.

A statement revealed that Mounts Bay, deployed to the region since 2017, had also been stocked with thousands of collapsible jerry cans, hygiene kits and temporary shelters.

Mark Lancaster, the UK Minister for Armed Forces, said: “Our armed forces are committed to supporting our Overseas Territories and we have worked alongside our colleagues across government to ensure we are fully prepared in the event of a natural disaster or other crisis.

“RFA Mounts Bay, which played a vital role during the 2017 hurricane crisis, remains ready in the Caribbean and will be supported by specialist forces from the UK if required.”

Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated parts of the Caribbean last year.

The British Government committed £72 million in September to help Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands but the islands criticised the speed of the reaction by UK leaders.

Theresa May, the British Prime Minister, committed a further £70 million for reconstruction efforts and £300 million of UK loan guarantees in November.

A ministerial statement yesterday said that British government departments had put plans in place to combine humanitarian, military support and diplomatic work in a joint unit co-ordinated by the Foreign Office.

Experts have also been sent to the region to lead talks on commercial contracts to deliver essential recovery needs in advance of the peak of hurricane season.

The UK has also co-ordinated meetings with representatives from the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency to ensure a joint approach to hurricane preparedness.

Other measures include military reconnaissance and analysis in the area to build links with local and regional disaster management personnel and inspect critical infrastructure.

There are also plans for a multinational group in the Caribbean to co-ordinate countries and organisations to ensure efforts are not duplicated across the region and to make first responses more efficient.

The UK Department of International Development also sent a team to the region last month to co-ordinate UK preparations with national and regional institutions.

The UK has also helped to make sure all islands affected by last year’s hurricanes are now insured under the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Fund.

The fund provided more than $50 million of payouts to hurricane-hit Caribbean countries and territories in 2017.

Hurricane preparedness was one of the key topics of discussion at the Joint Ministerial Council with the Overseas Territories in London last month.

Walter Roban, deputy Premier and the Minister of Transport and Regulatory Affairs, said after the JMC that the UK had pledged a more rapid hurricane response.

Lord Ahmad, the Foreign Office Minister for the OTs, visited Anguilla, the Cayman Islands and Montserrat as part of a regional tour to discuss hurricane preparedness in May.

He said: “The UK has provided critical support and help with recovery efforts and I have seen for myself the huge impact that this has had already. The UK continues to work closely with the governments of the Overseas Territories in their recovery efforts and in helping to rebuild their economies.

“Moreover, we have also been working hard with key partners across the region to ensure an even more effective and strategic response in the event we see a repeat of last year’s hurricane season.”

Lord Bates, the International Development Minister, added: “Britain continues to stand by those people whose lives were devastated.

“Not only have we been working with the islands’ governments to make sure they are more resilient to natural disasters but we are also well prepared to respond and provide humanitarian relief if a hurricane hits again.”