Part of British Overseas Territories Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 9:45 am on 6 December 2001.
My concern, which I raised on Second Reading, is the inclusion of the British Antarctic territories in the list of British overseas territories. I acknowledge that nobody lives permanently in the British Antarctic territories, but with climate change one never knows—given time many folk may live there. There are two scientific bases, and although they are not permanently occupied, they are sometimes occupied for 365 days in a year. I realise that this may seem an entirely theoretical point, but I am questioning the inclusion of the British Antarctic territories because of the British claim on them.