§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new assessment has been made of the fisheries resources of Ascension Island; and if there are any plans for the development of commercial and game fishing.
§ Mr. WhitneyNo new assessment has been made. There are no plans at present for the development of commercial and game fishing.
§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what were the financial results of the St. Helena Brewery Company for the latest year for which figure are available; and what percentage of the colony's beer consumed in that year was imported;
(2) what stage has been reached in considering plans to produce vegetable seed for export from St. Helena. in the light of its isolation from diseases and pests common elsewhere in the tropics, in conjunction with British or other seed merchants; and if the Government have any plans for their implementation;
(3) what investigation has been made of the possibility of converting St. Helena's flax resources to high quality paper suitable for making bank notes following recent development by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation of Australia;
(4) how many head, respectively, of cattle, sheep and pigs were slaughtered in St. Helena in 1981, 1982 and 1983; and what was the tonnage of frozen meat imports in each of those years;
(5) what was the estimated tonnage of potatoes locally produced in St. Helena in 1981, 1982 and 1983; and what was the tonnage imported in each of those years;
(6) how many St. Helena farmers are currently fully self-supporting; and how many men, women and youths they employ;
(7) how many persons other than those born on St. Helena own land on the island; and what is the total area of land owned by them;
(8) what were the reasons for the failure in 1980 or thereabouts of proposals to settle some of St. Helena citizens in the Falkland Islands, where there was a shortage of skilled workers; and what steps are being taken now to consider again the possibility of suitable employment for St. Helena citizens in the Falkland Islands;
(9) what steps are being taken to explore the possibilities of providing gainful employment for St. Helena citizens outside the colony.
§ Mr. WhitneyThis information is not readily available, We are consulting the Government of St. Helena, and I will write to my hon. Friend.