4.After consultation with these territories, the British Government published in March 1999 a White Paper entitled “Partnership for Progress and Prosperity: Britain and the Overseas Territories” (Cm 4264). This dealt with several aspects of Britain’s relationship with the territories, including the decision that they should be known as “overseas territories” in place of outdated terms such as “dependent territories” or “colonies”. The term “overseas territories” is now in common use both within the territories and as between their governments and the British Government.
