Montserrat: Volcanic Eruption (Hansard, 17 June 1996)

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, most people have had to leave their homes in the south of the island of Montserrat and are staying with friends and relatives, or in the improvised accommodation in the north. The present relocation is likely to be prolonged. The economy has been seriously disrupted. The British Government are providing £16.5 million in assistance and have made special arrangements for the entry of Montserratians who wish to come to the United Kingdom.

§ Lord Rea
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that informative Answer. Perhaps I may remind noble Lords that Montserrat is a British dependent territory, and that Her Majesty's Government bear a direct line of responsibility for the welfare of its people, if not for the actual volcano.
10 As the noble Baroness said, some 5,000 people from the more prosperous and fertile southern part of the island have been resettled in temporary shelter in the north. They are reluctant to leave Montserrat because it is their home. What plans have the Government permanently to develop the economy and infrastructure of the northern part of the island? It may well be the only safe and habitable area for many years even if the current eruption simmers down.

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I am extremely grateful to the noble Lord for not blaming the Government for the volcano erupting. However, joking apart, it is a very serious situation which has continued for nearly 11 months. The people of Montserrat have suffered sorely from it. I wish to pay tribute to their stoicism in the face of this continual cloud of volcanic dust which seems to hang across the island.
About 4,500 people have gone from the south to the north. About 1,500 people still on the border of the safe zone might have to be removed to the north should the drift of the volcano's ashes turn further northward.
In the first place we set up temporary accommodation. However, it has become clear that although the Chief Minister of Montserrat arranged the accommodation, more now has to be done. We have a full-time engineer there, plus other staff, helping the governor. We are taking the help of a number of specialist engineers. Some from Her Majesty's services have been assisting there. As did my right honourable friend, Sir Nicholas Bonsor, last week on a visit there, we are considering what further assistance must be given. We are following a twin track approach, allowing people to come to the United Kingdom for up to two years if they wish—to work, we hope, if they can find work—or through the aid programme supporting those who stay on the island.
The provision of more than £16.5 million in total for something under 10,000 people is a significant help. With the Government of Montserrat—they are responsible, although it is a dependent territory—we are considering what more can be done to help people gain a livelihood in the north and better living accommodation.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, there are so many things for which to blame the Government that we do not yet have to resort to blaming them for volcanoes.
I do not believe that the Minister answered my noble friend's Question. However, we need to consider the long-term future of Montserrat by securing a less dependent economy if those who are now leaving are to return. Can the Minister tell the House what the Government are now doing to promote an economy which is less dependent than at present?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, obviously the long-term future must be worked out with the Government of Montserrat. They are an elected government. They have made it clear that they wish to maintain Montserrat as a viable community. We shall support them in that. Those who are resident there who wish to move permanently to the north will be helped to do so. But it must be the decision of the Government 11 of Montserrat as well as of the Government of the United Kingdom. One cannot take decisions away from people who are elected and will soon stand in the north for re-election. That factor is very important indeed.
While final decisions cannot yet be made, work is going on and the help that the people of Montserrat need is being given to them by people well qualified to do so and with a greater knowledge of the situation than I have.