To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the Cervantes Institute was included in discussions during the tripartite talks in Spain and Gibraltar. (95260)

The trilateral forum has an open agenda. All sides are therefore free to raise any issue they wish. Spain chose to raise the establishment of a branch of the Cervantes Institute in Gibraltar. As this was acceptable to the Gibraltar and UK sides, it was agreed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why flights from Gibraltar to Spanish airports are deemed under the Tripartite Agreement to be internal flights. (95294)

Under the Tripartite Agreement people flying from Gibraltar to Spain are not deemed as being on an internal flight. Passengers from Gibraltar, which is outside of the Schengen area, flying to a Spanish airport (i.e. inside the Schengen area) will be given advance Schengen clearance before boarding their aircraft. Passengers accessing the terminal from north of the frontier, i.e. from inside the Schengen area will be considered as transit passengers on the basis of an administrative waiver by the Gibraltar authorities of controls.