The Crown Agents (Hansard, 14 November 1983)

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords. I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, the Board of Crown Agents have submitted proposals for substantial reorganisation following their loss of the investment management of the Government of Brunei's funds. These proposals are under urgent consideration and I hope that a decision will be reached shortly.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply. Will he hear in mind that the Crown Agents not only provide a greatly appreciated service for many countries in the third world, but provide invaluable orders for British exporters to the tune of well over £100 million a year? Secondly, and in particular, is he aware of the special services which the Crown Agents offer to small firms in Britain which cannot themselves undertake the promotional task, especially in distant and smaller markets?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I can certainly confirm that these are just the sort of factors that the Government will wish to take into account in reaching a decision on this matter. But, of course, some of the arguments apply the other way as well.

§ Lord Gridley
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the Crown Agents are trustees for the payment of pensions from the Central African pension fund? Is he further aware that they administer the payment of pensions to 50,000 colonial pensioners and that they carry this out with great efficiency, in spite of the tremendous difficulties which they have encountered?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, my noble friend is quite right in saying that the Crown Agents administer payment of a large number of overseas pensions of various kinds on behalf both of the ODA and, indeed, of certain overseas authorities. I can assure my noble friend that satisfactory arrangements will be made for handling these pensions if the Crown Agents cease to exist.

§ Lord Elwyn-Jones
My Lords, is it not the case that the House has not yet debated or discussed the report of the inquiry which was presided over by Mr. Justice Croom-Johnson into the various problems that arose in regard to the Crown Agents? If we have not yet debated it, is it not about time that we did so?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, the noble and learned Lord is right to say that we have not yet debated that report. No doubt an arrangement can be made through the usual channels, if that is thought appropriate.

Lord Oram
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the last sentence that he used in answer to the question 1060 before last seems to be a very sombre warning that the Crown Agents may cease to exist? Is he aware that many of the projects undertaken by the Crown Agents provide opportunities for British firms and personnel to undertake consultancies, which are paid for not out of British funds but from funds from the World Bank. the European Development Fund and similar international agencies? Is there not a danger that, unless the Crown Agents are maintained at their present level, those consultancies bringing rewards to British firms may be lost?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, as I said in answer to an earlier question, that is just the sort of consideration that the Government will wish to take into account in reaching a decision on this matter. No final decision has yet been taken and I am certain that the House will want to take an opportunity to hear it when it is made.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, in the noble Lord's answer to my noble and learned friend, did I understand him to say—or, if he did not, would he now say—that no decision will finally be taken without there being an opportunity for the House to discuss this extremely important question?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords. I do not believe I gave any assurance of that kind. In any event, it would not be a matter for me. I was referring, in answer to the noble and learned Lord, to his question as to whether we had had a discussion on an earlier report.

§ Lord Campbell of Alloway
My Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that until a Question was tabled in your Lordships' House for answer no attention appears to have been paid by any body to Mr. Justice Croom-Johnson's report?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords. I can assure my noble friend that although your Lordships have not yet seen fit to discuss it the Government have been considering it.