Britain needs to increase its commitment to the defence and security of its Overseas Territories, particularly in the Caribbean, a former minister told a parliamentary hearing in London yesterday.

David Rutley, who was parliamentary under secretary of state at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office during the last Conservative government, was asked if there was “sufficient commitment” from the United Kingdom at present.

He replied there was “certainly commitment in principle” that could be seen in places such as the Falkland Islands.

However, he raised concerns about illegal migration into Turks & Caicos and Anguilla, as well as gang violence, and said: “We do need to step up to the plate in those situations.”

His comments come two months after David Burt attended what may have been his final Joint Ministerial Council in London as Premier.

Mr Burt said then that the Overseas Territories were “resolute in the fact that we believe that the UK Government is not doing enough on internal security” and he felt Britain was “hearing the message …”

This month, Andrew Murdoch, the Governor, said Britain had poured more than $1.7 million into Bermuda in the past year to help in areas such as policing, defence and security.

Mr Rutley gave evidence yesterday before a meeting of the Constitution Committee of the House of Lords, which is reviewing a joint 2023 declaration between Whitehall and the 14 OTs, including Bermuda.

The question on defence and security came from committee member Lord Cryer, who suggested that security “almost with every passing month, it becomes more important”.

Mr Rutley acknowledged the “geopolitical situation and the geostrategic position that many of our overseas territories have”.

He said the United States administration “focusing more on the Western Hemisphere is highlighting that they're going to be more focused” on the Caribbean.

He added: “We've seen their intervention in Venezuela and the implications that will have for Cuba, probably for Trinidad & Tobago and more widely, and the fact that [the Department of] Homeland Security have committed to take more migrants from the US back to Haiti.

“You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out this is going to have an impact on our overseas territories and all the different departments [in the UK government] will need to be looking at how we cope with this.”

Mr Rutley told the committee the joint declaration was intended to lead to a framework to help move forward the relationship between the UK and the OTs as a whole, but also to develop partnership compacts with individual territories.

He said those compacts were intended to be “very personal … very tailored and will be directly relevant to the specific needs of that territory”.

He described a “momentum” at the time of the declaration’s signing but said the July 2024 General Election and change of government in the UK meant progress had stalled.

“We all can be aware that after a General Election there's a moment for review, particularly in a complex area like overseas territories,” Mr Rutley said.

“But all I would say gently is it's been 18 months since the General Election or probably a little bit more … So I think it is a question of focus and priorities.

“And my request to the Government is … there is a lot of good work going on, but now is the time to create the framework with added pace and a sense of urgency.”

Echoing Mr Burt’s comments in November, the former politician suggested if issues happening in some overseas territories were taking place closer to home, such as on the Isle of Wight, about five miles from the coast of mainland England, they would be “front of mind” for the UK.

He said there was an opportunity to launch “pilots” of some of the partnership compacts right away.

“There are urgent needs, particularly in places like the Caicos Islands, to tackle security-related issues,” Mr Rutley added.

“And that will be a great place, a great starting point to, as we say now, prove the model.”

Mr Rutley said he served as the minister for all the Americas, as well as the overseas territories, and that included the Caribbean.

“I would definitely encourage the Government to review the responsibilities within FCDO to enable the Minister for the Overseas Territories to also represent the UK and the Caribbean because we've got five Overseas Territories in the Caribbean and we've got Bermuda with sometimes very similar interests,” he said.

“Many of them attend Caricom. Our ministers should be attending Caricom on a regular basis because these convening moments … are vital to keep the dialogue going, to understand the issues more fully and to build relationships with these stakeholders.

“ … I think the Caribbean is the place where we need to step up a gear.”

During his evidence, Mr Rutley was asked about the implementation of beneficial ownership registers in the Overseas Territories, long a source of friction with the UK.

He said it was a “matter of reputation” for the UK and the Overseas Territories and was not an issue that would go away.

“It was time to get on the bus some time ago, it’s absolutely time to get on the bus now, to get the clarity that's required and to agree those timescales.

“And if there are resources that are required, put your hand up now because the [UK] Government and government departments are very keen to support.”

Committee member Lord Beith noted: “There are clearly differences of policy about accessible registers, but about other things as well, like same-sex marriage, for example, between the UK government and the governments of certain territories, and perhaps with the public opinion in certain territories as well.”

He asked what was the “theoretical basis on which we decide which issues justify the use of the legislative constraints that we have, the power of veto that the Governor has, in several territories”.

Mr Rutley replied that there were “international obligations that the UK has signed up to and agreed to and commitments that we've made” but there also needed to be proper consultation with the territories.

The committee’s next public hearing is on Wednesday at 10.30am UK time, when Lord McDonald of Salford and Sir Philip Barton, both former permanent secretaries at the foreign office, will give evidence.