§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the mean or median annual income per head of persons in each of the remaining United Kingdom dependencies or colonies in the Pacific, including the Banabans of Rabi Island, Fiji, showing separately income derived from royalties, where applicable.
§ Mr. LuardThe latest comparable measurements of income per head for the United Kingdom dependencies in the Pacific are estimates of gross national product per head relating to 1974 prepared by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. These are very approximate and royalties are not separately identified.
Per Capita GNP at market prices (US $) Gilbert and Ellice Islands … 730 New Hebrides … 480 Solomon Islands … 310 No comparable figure for Pitcairn is available.
As Part of the independent State of Fiji, Rabi does not have separate national accounts.
Phosphate payments by the British Phosphate Commissioners for the period 1st July 1974 to 30th June 1975 were:
$ Australian Gilbert and Ellice Islands … 21,299,363* Banabans … 3,794,128* Phosphate payments to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands during 1974 would have been taken into account in calculating per capita GNP, the figure for which includes payments into the Revenue Equalisation Reserve Fund. The Banaban population in September 1976 was 2,430.
*These figures are being adjusted, under arrangements agreed in 1976 as a result of the marked increase in the price of phosphate, by payments to the Banabans from the Gilbert Islands Government totalling approximately $Australian 1.3 million in respect of the period to 30th June 1975.