HL Deb 07 June 1999 vol 601 cc1137-9

2.44 p.m.

Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements they are proposing to make to allow citizens of St. Helena free access to the United Kingdom in the interim period before permanent legislation can be introduced.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)

My Lords, all British dependent territories citizens are subject to immigration control. The Government are considering what interim measures might be possible for residents of St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha. These include an extension to permission to stay for those who, having completed full-time formal education, require to undertake supervised work experience to gain British professional qualifications; an agreement to grant full three-year permission to stay at the outset for those coming to Britain under the training and work experience scheme and the three-year employment scheme; and a named contact for St. Helenians to deal with for approval to changes of employer.

Lord Beaumont of Whitley

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for that statement; indeed, I welcome it. However, can she say how soon it is expected such arrangements can be put into practice so that, in the meantime, St. Helenians, who have had an acknowledgement of the injustice done to them by taking away citizenship, can enjoy their right to come to this country?

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, all these measures are under active consideration. As the noble Lord will appreciate, they involve a number of different government departments. We hope that it will be possible to come to a decision by the autumn as regards all or any of the three measures I outlined.

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, can the noble Baroness say whether the legislation referred to in the Question will be primary or secondary legislation? If the latter, it could be implemented much faster should the department so wish.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, primary legislation will be necessary.

Baroness Young

My Lords, I welcome what the Minister has said. However, will she recognise in all her considerations the very great difficulty of St. Helenians in this respect? There is very little employment in St. Helena. Although we welcome the fact that St. Helenians are able to come to this country to gain educational qualifications, they need to be able to see the prospect of a proper future. That applies especially to the young. It is a very serious matter for the inhabitants of the island.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Yes, indeed, my Lords. Her Majesty's Government recognise the very particular problems experienced by people living in St. Helena. We are currently discussing with the United States the possibility of using the Wideawake Airfield on Ascension Island to facilitate more communication of an easier nature between St. Helena and the outside world. It is because we have recognised the particular employment problems of St. Helena that there are already some measures in place. For example, there is the taking of some 30 people a year on special work permits; in fact, we have about 60 individuals on these work permits at the moment. There are also one or two other measures in place to try to ease the employment situation.

Lord Moynihan

My Lords, further to her last answer, can the Minister give the House an update on the Government's plans to provide St. Helena with landing facilities for aircraft? In particular, can she give any further information on the results of the preliminary study into the technical feasibility of an airlink to St. Helena? A final report was due by Easter.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, I have indicated in Written Answers and in response to the noble Baroness, Lady Young, a few moments ago that we have been discussing with the United States the possibility of using the airfield on Ascension Island. Those discussions have started, and I raised the issue in the US a short while ago. We hope very much to be able to conclude some sort of an arrangement with the US over the use of Ascension Island in the near future. We will then be able to make an announcement.

Viscount Montgomery of Alamein

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that many citizens of St. Helena are working in the Falkland Islands. Can she tell us how long they will be required to stay there before they can enjoy the same rights and privileges of the Falkland Islanders as regards coming to this country?

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

My Lords, I hope very much that the legislation about which we have spoken, and which I have indicated will be primary, will go ahead as soon as possible. However, I am not in a position to anticipate the contents of the Queen's Speech. The noble Viscount is right to say that there are a number of St. Helenians on the Falkland Islands. I do not know whether there is any specified period before they can qualify for residency in the United Kingdom in the same way as the Falkland Islanders have since 1982. If there is a specified period, I shall write to the noble Viscount to let him know.