The Falklands: Land Distribution (Hansard, 14 March 1983)

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

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, the Falkland Islands Government are currently assessing the demand for land ownership in relation to the amount being offered for sale on the open market. First indications are that this demand is relatively small.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that time is passing? It would appear that the Government are giving thought to certain considerations and have made promises that they will look at this matter, but they seem to be taking a very long time to arrive at a decision. This is causing some concern not merely in the Legislative Council of the Falklands Islands, but particularly among the young who wish to carve out a career for themselves; the only way in which they can do that is for half the land which is now owned by the Falkland Islands Company to be shared among them.

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, in the autumn the Falkland Islands Government sent a questionnaire to 300 workers in the agricultural sector asking whether and where they would like to buy land on the islands. By the closing date—28th February—only 59 islanders had replied, all expressing interest in acquiring land. Currently two schemes are in being. One, which is being offered by a private landlord, is at Douglas Station; secondly, the Falkland Islands Company is currently offering for sale 50-acre plots of land bordering the road from Port Stanley to Darwin. The Falkland Islands Government themselves are considering the purchase of a three-farm estate in West Falkland owned by Packe Brothers. So this matter is not exactly being swept under the carpet and action is taking place on this front.

§ Lord Bishopston
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware of the general support for the Shackleton proposals, particularly in respect of agricultural and farming land? Is he aware of the strong concern that there should be better prospects of land tenure and ownership? Having regard also to the fact that 43 per cent. of the land is owned by the Falkland Islands Company, will he facilitate—through the Falkland Islands Development Agency and other means—the speeding up of the prospects not only for local people 470 but also in order to attract more people to the islands?—because they are sorely needed, not only for work but also for the production and development of the future.

§ Lord Skelmersdale
Yes, my Lords, naturally, I take the point that the noble Lord has just made. With all due respect to the noble Lord, Lord Shackleton, it is one thing to put a concrete idea in a report, but it is quite another subsequently to discover whether, in fact, the islanders want it. However, on the possibility of immigrants, I shall certainly take that point and refer it to my right honourable friend.

§ Lord Shackleton
My Lords, I do not know what the noble Lord means by saying that it is one thing to put something in a report. I had not intended to intervene, but as I always tend to be traduced by whoever the Government are on the subject of the Falklands—I see the eye of the Leader on me; I am breaking the rules—will the noble Lord not agree that if 59 people say they are interested it is possible to consider that it is relatively large and not relatively small?

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, relative to what?—is probably the response to that. In a recent television programme in this country the suggestion was made that 60 per cent. of the islanders want to buy land. But the results of the questionnaire do not currently bear this out. So, again, I ask the noble Lord, relative to what?

§ Lord Glenkinglas
My Lords, although I have not been to the Falkland Islands, will my noble friend agree that 50 acres is likely to be quite useless to anyone?

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, again, relative to what? I agree that 50 acres for the production of sheep would be totally useless; but 50 acres for horticulture, for pigs or chickens, might be extremely valuable.

The Earl of Halsbury
My Lords, when we talk of percentages of population ought one not to make it clear whether one is referring to men, women and children, or to households?

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, yes, the noble Earl is perfectly correct on that. I understand that the 59 refers to households and the "Panorama" figure of 60 per cent. refers to islanders.

§ Lord John-Mackie
My Lords, does the noble Lord not agree that anyone who wishes to farm in the Falkland Islands deserves all the help he can get?

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, I think that anybody who wants to farm anywhere deserves all the help he can get.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that what this is primarily relative to—and I shall try to make him understand this—is the future of the young Falkland islanders? As Sir Rex Hunt has said, there is a disturbing exodus of young Falkland islanders because they cannot get land. Sir Rex Hunt has said the Legislative Council is willing to take land into public ownership by means of compulsory purchase to 471 encourage the young people to stay there. Only last month the Foreign Secretary—

Several noble Lords
Question!

§ Lord Molloy
Is the noble Lord aware—I hope that that is not superfluous—that only last month the Foreign Secretary stated in a broadcast on the BBC that this proposal was having the active consideration of the Government? That was repeated only a few weeks ago by Mr. Cranley Onslow in the other place. Can the noble Lord say that these proposals emanating from the legislative chamber for them to be assisted will be made the reality?

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, as I sought to make clear in my original supplementary answers to the noble Lord, this question is being actively pursued both by the Falkland Islands Council themselves and by my right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Minister of State with special responsibility for that part of the world. The fact that there are three farm schemes on the go at the moment, while it is too early yet to see whether there will be any call for any more, I think speaks for itself.

§ Lord Bishopston
My Lords, will the Minister not only heed the views of the media—the television and the radio—but also accept that he can be substantially helped and encouraged in this matter by some of us who have been in the Falklands in recent weeks, and who on matters of farming and agriculture have been closely in touch with the grass roots, if I may put it that way? Will he realise the urgency of this matter?

§ Lord Skelmersdale
Yes, my Lords, I am fully aware of recent parliamentary delegations to the Falkland Islands, and I have a feeling that the noble Lord himself was a member of one of them. I readily admit that they have much more immediate grass-roots experience (to use the noble Lord's expression) than I have, and most certainly I would be willing to take advice.

§ Lord Leatherland
My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether the Government want to see people emigrating from this country to the Falklands, because if so I can give him a few names?

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, emigration and immigration are part of the general Government policy, and we want to keep it that way.