HL Deb 04 July 1979 vol 401 cc365-7

2.46 p.m.

Lord MORRIS

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the Shackleton Report on the Falkland Islands.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, Lord Shackleton's Economic Survey of the Falkland Islands was published in 1976. Since then, this House has been informed from time to time of progress made in implementing the many recommendations it contained. Some were quite specific; others more general. All have been carefully examined. A majority of the recommendations have now been implemented.

Lord MORRIS

My Lords, interpreting the results of the action that has been taken on the Shackleton Report in the most conservative manner possible, it appears that only 31 per cent. of the recommendations have been implemented, 15 per cent. are in initial progress—

Several noble Lords: Question, Question!

Lord MORRIS

Is the Minister aware that only 15 per cent. are in progress, only 18 per cent. could be said to be under consideration, and that no action has been taken on 36 per cent? Bearing this in mind, will the Minister join with his colleague the Lord Privy Seal, who stated on 25th May in the other place that the majority of the recommendations have now been implemented?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, my noble friend is mistaken: a majority of the recommendations have been implemented.

Lord SHACKLETON

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that he and the Lord Privy Seal, like a Minister in the previous Government, have made a totally misleading statement? The most important recommendations, for instance in regard to the airfield, have not been carried through, and indeed have not been looked at? There is only a desk study on the fisheries matter, and the money that is being spent relates largely to expenditure incurred and planned before I ever went to the Falkland Islands. Would the noble Lord now consider very carefully whether the record should be put straight?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, we totally reject the suggestion that my right honourable friend the Lord Privy Seal in any way misled the other place. He said—and I confirm—that a majority of the recommendations have now been implemented.

Baroness EMMET of AMBERLEY

My Lords, will the noble Lord agree that, bearing in mind the location on the map of the Falkland Islands to the Argentine, the only way for all these matters to be implemented is for the two countries to work together? Will he also agree that by doing so and by exploiting the minerals, the fishing, the seaweed and everything else, we may succeed in keeping some of our young people on the islands, so retaining our claim to them?

Lord TREFGARNE

Yes, my Lords, I certainly agree that the best way for the Falkland Islands would be with the agreement of, and in consultation with, the Argentine Government; but I confirm that this has to be done with the agreement of the Falkland Islanders themselves.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, may I ask whether the detailed statement which we have this afternoon been promised by the Minister will be qualitative as well as quantitative? It may be that the word "majority" has been understood in varying ways by various people. I think that my noble friends and I would be concerned more about how much has been done, rather than about how many small things have been done.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I do not think that I actually undertook to make any detailed statement, but I am quite prepared to do so. If it meets the convenience of your Lordships, I will arrange for the list of Lord Shackleton's recommendations and the action that has been taken on them to be circulated in the Official Report.

Lord SHACKLETON

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that either I am accusing him and his right honourable friend of being liars or he is accusing me? I say this quite seriously, because, as the author of the recommendations, I can only repeat what I said and ask him: Have any of the major recommendations been carried out at all, and will he give the details?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I suppose there is some room for variation in interpretation of what constitutes a recommendation, but we certainly maintain that, quantitatively, a majority of the recommendations have been implemented.

[The list above mentioned is published at the conclusion of the Daily Part for Thursday, 5th July.]