§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she will introduce a return air fare scheme for Montserratian evacuees. [79483]
§ Mr. FoulkesConditions on the island now allow for the introduction of a scheme to fulfil the promise I made in September 1997 that the Department for International Development (DFID) would pay the return air fares of those Montserratians who had relocated to the UK or within the Caribbean because of the volcanic activity, who were in need and wished to return to Montserrat, when conditions allowed. The latest volcanic assessment concludes that there has been no resumption of magmatic eruption since March 1998 and that risk levels of a major volcanic eruption are now similar to those in other Caribbean volcanic islands. Projects are underway to encourage small enterprise development and to provide adequate housing for those people who relocated from the south of the island and are now living in a shelter or unsuitable shared accommodation in the north.
Eligible applicants will be provided with a one-way non-transferable economy class ticket from their current place of residence to Montserrat, plus an additional air freight allowance, travel costs to the airport of embarkation in the UK and overnight subsistence costs in Antigua, where required.
In order to qualify for the scheme, applicants will need to:
- (a) demonstrate that they were resident on the island on 18 July 1995;
- (b) provide an address on the island where they will be able to live upon their return;
- (c) show that they have been relocated for a period of at least six months; and
- (d) provide written certification that they do not possess savings equivalent to more than EC$44,000 (approximately £10,000).
The scheme will operate for an initial period of 2 years and be administered by the DFID office in Antigua and by the Montserrat Community Support Trust (MCST) in the UK. Applicants in the Caribbean will be invited to register with the DFID office in Antigua or the British Representative in the island where they are living after 1 May whilst those in the UK can register with MCST after 1 June. Further details will be announced nearer the date of commencement.
Travel costs incurred by evacuees returning to Montserrat prior to the commencement of the scheme will not be reimbursed.
416WWith the introduction of ERAFS, HMG are to bring to an end the Assisted Passage Scheme and the Regional Relocation Scheme which enable Montserratians to relocate to the UK or within the region respectively. The Regional Relocation Scheme will end on 30 April whilst the Assisted Passage Scheme will finish on 31 May. Applications received after 1 May 1999 will not be considered. People applying for the schemes must travel by 30 April and 31 May 1999 respectively.