We recognise that that there are limited opportunities for the UKOTs to be represented in UK Parliament, yet many decision are made on their behalf in Westminster. Therefore, we have worked with the APPG for Biodiversity (as well as other APPGs) to provide advice and assistance in the organisation of several meetings including a wider range of stakeholders on issues such as invasive species and marine protected areas in the House of Commons.

One such meeting, in October 2014, focussed on Conserving globally important natural environments – some views from the UK Overseas Territories. We were heavily involved in the organisation of the meeting in collaboration with the APPG secretariat. Gina Ebanks-Petrie, Director of Environment for the Cayman Islands, Kathleen McNary Wood, former Director of Environment for the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Sarita Francis, Director of the Montserrat National Trust and former Deputy Governor, were able to participate via Skype. They made a great impression on the meeting participants as they gave their first-hand accounts of the progress and issues faced by conservation practitioners in the UKOTs. A summary of the meeting was circulated to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Biodiversity in its subsequent newsletter.