Full National Day programme for cross-party delegation from both Houses of the UK Parliament

Eight cross-party MPs and peers will be visiting Gibraltar for National Day.

Freemen of the City, Sir Bob Neill and Andrew McKinlay will also be on the Rock.

A full programme is planned.

The cross-party delegation from both Houses of the UK Parliament is led by the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group, Labour MP Amanda Martin.

This is the first National Day since the UK-EU Agreement in respect of Gibraltar entered into provisional application on the 15 July. The visit will give parliamentarians the opportunity to see for themselves how implementation is progressing on the ground, and learn more about the treaty’s early effect.

The delegation comprises:

• Ms Amanda Martin MP (Labour), Chair of the APPG for Gibraltar

• Mr Martin Vickers MP (Conservative), Co-Vice-Chair of the APPG

• Dr Al Pinkerton MP (Liberal Democrats), Co-Vice-Chair of the APPG

• Mr Andrew Rosindell MP (Reform)

• The Baroness Butler-Sloss (Crossbench)

• The Lord Brady (Conservative)

• The Lord Rogan (Ulster Unionist Party)

• The Lord Bilimoria (Crossbench)

They will be joined by two Freemen of the City of Gibraltar, Sir Bob Neill KC and Mr Andrew Mackinlay.

During their working visit, the MPs will discuss the treaty and other matters with the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.

MPs will also have the opportunity to discuss economic and business issues with the Minister for Health, Care and Business, Gemma Arias-Vasquez and the Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry, Nigel Feetham.

The visiting politicians will visit St Bernard’s Hospital to view live telesurgery. This follows Gibraltar’s role in the UK’s first remote robot-assisted procedure in March.

The parliamentarians will visit the University of Gibraltar, sign the banner of the Self- Determination for Gibraltar Group, speak to business organisations and the Cross-Frontier Group and pay a courtesy call on the Governor.

They will, of course, join the National Day political rally at Casemates Square.

Deputy Chief Minister, Joseph Garcia, says:

“I am delighted that we will soon welcome parliamentarians from the House of Commons and the House of Lords to Gibraltar for our National Day - our first since the treaty entered into provisional application on 15 July. I look forward to our guests seeing everything for themselves in order to arrive at a better understanding of the situation. The Government is grateful to the team at Gibraltar House who are responsible for organising the visit.

We are grateful too to our guests for making the time to be with us given the UK Parliament has only just returned from its summer recess, and does so under a new Prime Minister - a busy and demanding moment in Westminster. That so many colleagues, from so many parties, have chosen to spend some time here speaks to the strength of cross-party support for Gibraltar and its people.

National Day is, above all, a celebration of our right to determine our own future. Our guests come in support of that right, and their presence alongside us in Casemates Square sends a message that is heard far beyond the Rock.”