§ Mr. Hal Millerasked the Lord Privy Seal what arrangements have been made for officers serving in Nigeria under the 373W British expatriates' supplementation scheme in view of the decision by the Nigerian federal military government to phase out the scheme from 1 April.
§ Mr. Neil MartenSince 1975 a scheme for the supplementation of the emoluments of British officers employed in the Nigerian public service has operated under a technical co-operation arrangement jointly financed by the British and Nigerian Governments. Under the scheme payments are made by the British Government on behalf of the federal military Government of Nigeria to eligible British staff designated by the federal military Government with the agreement of the British Government.
Following discussions between our two Governments over the past year, during which the federal military Government indicated its wish to terminate the supplementation scheme from 1 April 1979 we have agreed to phase out payments from that date. Notices were sent to all supplemented officers in December 1978 warning them that the future of the scheme after 31 March 1979 was uncertain, and, in March, a further notice informed officers of the Nigerian decision to terminate the scheme.
Supplementation and other allowances will continue to be paid by the British Government on behalf of the federal military Government to designated officers during any remaining period of designated service which commenced before 1 April 1979. To ease any hardship resulting from the short notice given of the phasing out of the scheme officers whose period of designation ended or ends between 1 April and 31 December 1979 have been notified that they may apply for an extension of designation up to 31 December 1979, or up to the end of their existing contract of service if this terminated or terminates before that date.