§ 8. Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present state of United Kingdom relations with Sierra Leone.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydWe are hopeful that our relations will improve.
§ Mr. JonesI hope that our relations will improve sufficiently to enable the United Kingdom Government to ask the Sierra Leone Government to honour pension commitments that are still outstanding after, in some cases, 40 years. I refer to United Kingdom citizens who are ex-employees of the Colonial Office, having worked in educational establishments in Sierra Leone. If there is no improvement, will the United Kingdom Government pay the pensions of those people at long last?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI will certainly look into the question of our representations to the Sierra Leone Government about the pensions to which the hon. Gentleman refers. He will know that we have many issues outstanding with the Sierra Leone Government. We were very distressed by their conduct last year, and we are seeking, by persuasion, to bring about an improvement in the political situation there, in so far as we can influence it.